THE USE OF ANABOLIC STEROIDS AND OTHER PROHIBITED SUBSTANCES BY GYM ENTHUSIASTS IN CYPRUS

The use of prohibited substances in sport does not solely concern athletes, but it is also quite common among other categories of the population: people who do not engage in competitive sports but use doping substances for a number of other reasons. This article is based on a survey that was administered to 532 people of both sexes, aged 14 years and above, in 22 gyms around Cyprus. The respondents engaged in one or more sports with a very small percentage (6%) participating in competitive sports. The results showed that 11.6 percent of the respondents had used or were using prohibited substances in order to improve their performance. The use of prohibited substances seemed to be higher among certain interviewees sharing common characteristics, that is, gender, age, education and socio-economic status. Doping was common among body-builders. The research also examined the reasons for the use of prohibited substances in relation to: the reasons for exercising; the nature of the sport; smoking and drinking habits; and the level of use within the wider environment.