Numerous surfers were caught using recreational drugs but not steroids

Anabolic steroids are administrated by surfers too. Sport governing body claims that prohibited medications are a great problem in this sport. That’s why the Association of Surfing Professionals made a decision to implicate testing for anabolic steroids and other banned products which are applied for enhancement of performance.
The Association of Surfing Professionals had certain discussions with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). They asked how they could introduce testing for banned products into surfing. Since anti-doping program of the WADA is considered to be the best policy, the surfing organization wants to use this protocol. Undoubtedly, this is the next victory of the WADA which gives the opportunity to manage anti-doping programs in sports.
It is known that surfing is a competitive sport. So, strength, speed and endurance are principal skills which promote winning. So, surfers could decide that administration of anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs influences on success greatly. It is also important to take in consideration that amount of money that is obtained by winners is large. Winners get no less than 100, 000 dollars. Desire to obtain money could lead surfers to decision to use anabolic steroids.
Nevertheless, it is said that intake of anabolic steroids and other drugs that have performance-enhancing effects is not widespread in surfing. Many individuals think that intake of recreational drugs is more widespread among surfers than intake of steroids. Sport of 1970s and 1980s was frequently associated with marijuana and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Current facts support this impression. The number of surfers who are caught using marijuana, methamphetamine and cocaine is quite enhanced.
Andi Irons, a professional surfer, died in November 2010. A heart attack that he had was caused by drug abuse. It was determined that steroids hadn’t been implicated in this fatal case. Traces of methamphetamine, cocaine and methadone metabolites were found in his body.
Another surfer, Peter Davi, died in December 2007. High levels of meth were also found in his system.
As for the professional surfer Anthony Ruffo, he was caught distributing meth.
Only the professional surfer from Brazil Neco Padaratz was caught taking steroids. He was sentenced to one-year ban. This person tested positive for prohibited products in 2004. This person confirmed that he had administrated these preparations to get a full recovery from back injuries. In spite of his defense, he was banned. He was the first person who was caught taking steroids by the Association of Surfing Professionals. According to certain sources, he remains to be the only surfer who has ever been caught by the ASP.
The ASP has already the initial budget to introduce the WADA anti-doping program into surfing.
However it is unlikely that steroids represent a problem in surfing, the new anti-doping program may create a wrong public perception.