There is a reason anabolic steroids are banned in the Olympic games as well as in all other areas of professional sports. Steroids give the athlete an unfair advantage over other players who are trying to compete completely based on their own natural ability. Furthermore, steroids, if used too often, can have dangerous side effects and cause irreversible damage to the organs.
Just hours after the 2012 Olympics came to a close in London, the International Olympic Committee has already taken measures to weed out the athletes who have tested positive for illegal substances found in their bloodstream.
Nadzeya Ostapchuck, a female shot putter from Belarus, was one of the first to be tested with the results returning positive. Ostapchuck put on an impressive performance at the games and took home the gold medal. However, the revelation of her doping will cost her dearly. The IOC has already announced that Ostapchuck will be stripped of her medal. This means that Valerie Adams of New Zealand now be the official gold medalist winner.
Being stripped of her gold medal is only one of Ostapchuck’s many concerns. The IOC Disciplinary Commission has also decided to revoke her accreditation card and Olympic identity. She will also be required to return her diploma and medalist pin. This is all only the tip of the iceberg; in the coming days, Ostapchuck may face further sanctions.
For Ostapchuck, this was her third Olympic appearance. She came in fourth in 2004 and took the bronze at the Beijing games in 2008. With her testing positive, it may not be such a surprise if she does not return for a fourth time for the games in Rio De Janeiro in 2016.
The IOC is sending a clear message to all the athletes; even though the drug tests may take weeks, anyone using any form of banned substances will be caught and exposed as a cheater.