Steroids in Hockey?

I live in Canada, So obviously this is going to be a bigger issue for me than most americans. For those of you who aren’t familiar, Dick Pound of IOC drug testing fame claimed that one third of hockey players are on steroids.

I think this is a pretty unprofessional thing to come out with with no apparent proof. If he wants the NHL to implement a drug testing program, there are better ways than this. The NHL quickly scoffed at the comment. Some of them could be on roids, the fighters or goons of the game, but for the most part, hockey is a game of speed and hand coordination. I’m not sure if steroids could help with coordination, and the extra weight that some people put on could hinder their speed as well.

Does anyone have an opinion on how many people may be on steroids in the NHL, which steroids they would be taking, and what would be the effects of those steroids on the body. And more importantly, what do people think about Dick Pound? (Hint: look at his name)

Sprinters using steroids is fairly common, so speed and steroids can go hand in hand.

i never played, but i got some friends that did, and they turned me on to the game. that being said, i think what the Dick said was ridiculous, considering he has absolutely no proof. i think the NHL should sue for libel of slander.
about your thoughts that roids would not help hockey players: also ridiculous. sprinters and basketball players use it to great benefit, along with the speed position players in football. roids also help in recovery for a long 82 game regular season. some of the fastest skaters out there are also the biggest. it’s an old wive’s tale that more muscle will make you muscle-bound and slow. if you need more proof, look at your own Ben Johnson:) he was pretty fuckin fast!

Of course there are steroids in hockey, why wouldn’t there be? There are performance enhancing drugs in any sport where winning is so important. Many hockey contracts are in the millions of dollars and in this day and age becoming a better player will help you get your hands on some of this cash. Why would anyone think football and baseball players use shit but hockey players don’t.

As for Dick Pound, he has been involved in athletics and the olympic commitee long before Ben Johnson’s time(1980’s) and I think he knows what the fuck he’s talking about.

LZ

Wow, 1/3 on steroids. I say thats bullshit. Ive played for 12 years and have gotten to know hockey somewhat well. From what I understand theres more of a demand for steroids in other sports like football or baseball. But I don’t see it being impossible. Maybe those Russian guys are on em, they fly like a bat outa hell, Ovechkin!

The only illegal drug i know to be used commonly is ephedrine. The legal kind that you can get in some drug stores or online for cheap. Ive seen people, including myslef, pop ephedrine before games. I almost pissed myself I was so tired after each shift. It def makes you faster. But is it considered a steroid to the IOC? i know its banned…

There are definitely juicers in hockey as well. One third? Probably not. But I remember there being one guy on my university hockey team who was fighting to be a fourth-liner. After a summer of juicing, he was one of the fastest and strongest guys on the ice. He went from being lucky to still be suiting up to dominant. No one can speculate how much the juice had to do with that but there’s no question it had an impact, if you saw this guy play.

Patrick Arnold claimed he’s worked with at least a hundred or so nhl players. Hmmmmm… We all know he just provided motivational and nutrition advice, right?

ephedrine was so a half-decade ago if you know your nootropics

as for the 1/3: more likely the number of alkis, but lots use

[quote]tinytim wrote:
Dick Pound of IOC drug testing fame claimed that one third of hockey players are on steroids.[/quote]

First, foremost, and most importantly, NO, Dick Pound DID NOT claim that one third (1/3 or 33%) of hockey players are on steroids.

However, Dick Pound did say:

“I spoke with Gary [NHL commissioner Gary Bettman] and he said ‘We don’t have the problem in hockey,’” Pound said Thursday in an interview with the London Free Press. “I told him he does. You wouldn’t be far wrong if you said a third” of hockey players are gaining some pharmaceutical assistance.

Asked if he meant performing-enhancing drugs, Pound replied: “Yes.”


from:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/sports/national/2005/11/24/Sports/dick_pound051124.html


So, Dick Pound said that one third of hockey players are getting some kind of pharmaceutical assistance, meaning performance enchancing drugs. SO, what can that mean;

-He was possibly talking specificaly about the NHL.

-He didn’t say steroids, and
-He didn’t say banned performance enhancing drugs

He was probibly mostly referring to ephedrine, and ephedra, pseudoephedra, and because he didn’t say banned performance enhancing drugs he could have included things like choline, L-Tyrosne and DMAE (Power Drive anyone?)

What he said is very very open. Its NOT just steroids.

Well I can’t give you an exact number it’s probably a lot more than you think. I used to play Div. 1 college hockey and there was use there. I didn’t make the NHL but I’m still good friends with a couple guys who did. All I will say is that Dick Pound may not be out of line at all. Besides the greatly increasing size and strength of these guys, hockey has a long, brutal season, steroids can really help with recovery.

As far as testing goes, read Chris Street’s article “The Steroid Interviews” on this website. Drug testing in pro sports is a joke. Why is it that you only hear about some no name player getting busted? Do you really think a league is going to bust their best players? It’s bad for the league and they know the fans don’t want to see sub-quality play.

[quote]rawda wrote:
if you need more proof, look at your own Ben Johnson:) he was pretty fuckin fast![/quote]

I believe he only weighed 175 lbs which is hardly “big” so the notion that you can “tell” based on someones size is crazy too.

throw hockey equipment on bens 175lb frame and he’d look small-average