The 1954 World Weightlifting Championship was the turning point in the history of sports. After the event, John Ziegler, the team physician for the United States started researching on testosterone, and his efforts resulted in the creation of “Methandrostenolone” or “Dianabol” with the help of Ciba pharmaceutical company; Dianabol is believed to be the first ever of the anabolic steroids in sports.
However, the use of steroids in sports Olympic history begun in the late 1960s when Dianabol and some other steroids came to be widely used in sports. Soon, there were strong reactions against steroids in sports, and the first reaction against steroids in sports came from the International Amateur Athletic Federation, now the International Association of Athletics Federations that became the first international governing body to ban steroids in sports. FIFA, Union Cycliste Internationale (cycling), and International Olympic Committee banned the use of steroids in sports in 1966-67.
The period from 1980’s to 90s was the period of wide use of anabolic steroids in sports. It became public with Ben Johnson's 100 m victory at the 1988 Summer Olympics. The Canadian sprinter had to surrender his gold title when “stanozolol” (anabolic steroid) was detected in his urine samples. Later, he admitted the use of Dianabol, Cypionate, Furazabol, and human growth hormone.
The World Anti-Doping Agency was created in 1999 to check the use of steroids in sports. Presently, National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), national Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), FIFA, ICC, and the Olympic Committee have banned steroids and have strict policies against steroids in sports.
However, the use of steroids in sports is still going on. Steroids are widely used by the competitive as well as noncompetitive jocks. Surveys & studies on steroids in sports have revealed that 2.7% sports persons form US high schools use steroids in sports.
