According to public impression, recreational drugs are more widely used by surfers than steroids

Anabolic steroids are used by surfers too. Sport governing body claims that banned medicines are an essential problem in this sport. That’s why the Association of Surfing Professionals made a decision to implicate testing for anabolic steroids and other prohibited products which are applied for enhancement of performance.
The Association of Surfing Professionals led certain discussions with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). They asked how they could implicate testing for forbidden preparations into surfing. Since anti-doping program of the WADA is claimed to be the best policy, the surfing organization desires to introduce this protocol. It goes without saying that this is the next victory of the WADA which induces the opportunity to control anti-doping programs in sports.
It is known that surfing is a competitive sport. So, strength, speed and endurance are main abilities which promote winning. So, surfers could be convinced that administration of anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs contributes in success greatly. It is also necessary to take in consideration that amount of money which is obtained by winners is large. Winners obtain no less than 100, 000 dollars. Desire to obtain money could lead surfers to decision to use anabolic steroids.
Nonetheless, it is said that intake of anabolic steroids and other products that have performance-enhancing effects is not widespread in surfing. Many people believe 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 taking marijuana, methamphetamine and cocaine is quite enhanced.
Andi Irons, a professional surfer, died in November 2010. The reason of his death was a heart attack caused by drug abuse. It was determined that steroids hadn’t been implicated in this case. Traces of methamphetamine, cocaine and methadone metabolites were found in his system.
Another surfer, Peter Davi, died in December 2007. Enhanced levels of meth were also found in his system.
As for the professional surfer Anthony Ruffo, he was caught selling meth.
Only Neco Padaratz, a professional surfer from Brazil, was caught administrating steroids. He was banned for one year. This person tested positive for banned products in 2004. This surfer claimed that he had taken these medicines to get a complete recovery from back injuries. In spite of his defense, he was banned. He was the first individual who was caught taking steroids by the Association of Surfing Professionals. According to numerous reports, 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.
Although it is unlikely that steroids represent a problem in surfing, the new drug-testing program can create a wrong public impression.