Child Athletes As Young As 12 Are Using Steroids, And Clearly Someone Is Supplying Them

A hefty three-year study by the University of Canberra and Griffith University has shown the use of performing-enhancing drugs is rife among young Australian athletes. Over 900 athletes between the ages of 12-17 (i.e. kids) were interviewed, and roughly 4% of them (around 30) admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs, with roughly one in three using nutritional supplements. Those are only the ones who admitted it. Co-author of the report, University of Canberra Associate Professor in Psychology Stephen Moston, told the Canberra Times the findings point to a lack of anti-doping education and testing among child athletes. But surely a lack of what Moston calls “detection efforts” isn’t the main issue: it’s the mindset of the coaches and parents who are clearly supplying these drugs, and introducing this culture. These kids aren’t copping a bag of weed from their friend’s older brother; they’re being supplied with receptor-smashing drugs that alter muscle and bone synthesis — drugs that come in controlled doses and aren’t actually in these kids’ orbits until introduced by an adult who will benefit from their increased stamina and strength. Moston points to the pressure being put on these kids by the adults surrounding them, stating: “A lot of the emphasis, even in junior sport, is more about winning rather than skill development.” The children interviewed for the study also believe that a third of professional athletes use performance enhancing drugs, and considering the anti-detection methods used by elite athletes are light-years ahead of the current ineffective anti-doping systems, there’s no way to gauge if this is an overestimation. In any case, adults are giving kids drugs and telling them that it is common, that they will improve their performance, and that they will get away with it if they keep quiet. The real shame is, it’s fairly accurate advice. Read more at http://junkee.com/child-athletes-as-young-as-12-are-using-steroids-clearly-someone-is-supplying-them/37666#RDM5rUJrDWJUri1q.99