From Under 10's social at your local rec centre - even too much Red Cordial before a game, and they can get ejected for inflated blood sugar levels.

;)

Seriously though, I think it's only once they hit Men's comp that they even look at the possibility of a player taking drugs, and I don't think they do much about it even at the ABA level.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Athletes that play state can be tested at any national championship

I have no knowledge of anyone ever using performance enhancing substances in my playing experience in juniors in SA, but I'm sure that there is someone, somewhere using something. There is always one who has to try.

I haven't ever played beyond my district team, so no SASI or State, so I'm not aware of any testing that may or may not occur. I've played with SASI and State players however, and they've never mentioned that any drug tests ever occur or are threatened.

I have woundered this also when you see the size of some players,especially when going interstate for tournaments. Players could be loading up on steriods and getting away with it. I have heard that a few players took No-Doz tablets at a tournament after fatigue started setting in, I know they cause a bit of a stir in the AFL, whould they get in trouble for this if anyone found out? Aparrently its just like taking coffee.....

VC fan caffeine is a know stimulant and has been suggested as a performance enhancing substance in a number of ways. Caffeine is in No-Doz in much higher concentrations than coffee. Caffeine IS a banned substance in large doses, I believe (and could be wrong on exact figure) that if concentrations in the urine exceed 15 micrograms/ml you are above the limit.

Secondly steriods alone will not make you bigger. It has been said that if steroids were not banned, the same people winning events or who are the biggest will still be that way. Don't get me wrong it is a huge advantage, however the work still needs to be done by the athlete. Some players are bigger because they of genetics others just work harder. There is a fair cost difference between roids and no dose too. I am not suggesting that no one uses them either...

anon, I have a feeling cyclists don't "build up" as such, they use drugs to speed up there recovery through long tours and increase the energy available to their muscles in same.
That's as technical as I can make it?

Hey 3

Just because you have no knowledge of any person using 'performance enhancements' doesn't mean it is not happening.

Remember: 'They are not steroids they are supplements!'

Yea Sturty there's always someone who would have to try it. It's unfortunate, but pretty likely that someone would

As far as cyclists go you are probably thinking of Erythropoietin. And no this does not create the "shape" of the athlete, it increases hematocrit mostly (incidentally I think the cut off for cyclists is about 50%?).

Sturty there are many performance enhancing substances out there and no they are not all steroids, if you find the definition of a steroid and look at the mechanism of many enhancers they do not need to be steroids. It depends what you are using them for and what you want to achieve by taking them. So yes "supplements" may be a better term, but still does not make them legal.

And i made the same point sure there will be some that use them, but they are no magic pill, the work still needs to be done by the athlete.

A mother on an opposing team admitted to me she holds off giving her child her ADHD drugs on game day. She didnt want to slow her down she said!

Mum

I don't think anyone has every been convicted of not giving medication.