However it is unlikely that intake of steroids is widespread in surfing, a new anti-doping program is introduced

Anabolic steroids are used by surfers too. Sport governing body proclaims that banned drugs are a significant problem in this sport. That’s why the Association of Surfing Professionals decided to introduce testing for anabolic steroids and other banned products that are applied for performance-enhancing effects.
The Association of Surfing Professionals had some discussions with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). They asked how they could introduce testing for forbidden medications into surfing. Since anti-doping program of the WADA is considered to be the best policy, the surfing organization desires to introduce this protocol. Of course, this is the next victory of the WADA that promotes the possibility to manage drug-testing programs in sports.
It is known that surfing is a competitive sport. So, strength, speed and endurance are chief skills that induce winning. Thus, surfers could decide that intake of anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs induces success greatly. It is also important to take in consideration that amount of money which is obtained by winners is large. Winners receive no less than 100, 000 dollars. Desire to get money could lead surfers to decision to use anabolic steroids.
Nevertheless, it is said that usage of anabolic steroids and other drugs that increase performance is not widespread in surfing. A lot of persons think that application of recreational drugs is more widespread among surfers than intake of steroids. Sport of 1970s and 1980s was oftan associated with marijuana and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Current facts justify this impression. The number of surfers who are caught administrating marijuana, methamphetamine and cocaine is quite high.
The professional surfer Andi Irons died in November 2010. A heart attack that he had was caused by drug abuse. It was determined that steroids hadn’t been involved in this case. Traces of methamphetamine, cocaine and methadone metabolites were found in his body.
Another surfer, Peter Davi, died in December 2007. Increased levels of meth were also found in his system.
As for the professional surfer Anthony Ruffo, he was caught distributing meth.
Only Neco Padaratz, a professional surfer from Brazil, was caught administrating steroids. He received a one-year ban. This person tested positive for banned drugs in 2004. This surfer confirmed that he had taken these medicines to get a full recovery from back injuries. In spite of his defense, he was sentenced to a ban. He was the first individual that was caught administrating steroids by the Association of Surfing Professionals. According to certain sources, he remains to be the only surfer that has ever been caught by the ASP.
The ASP has already the primary budget for introduction of the WADA steroid program into surfing.
While it is unlikely that steroids represent a problem in surfing, the new anti-doping program may create a wrong public impression.