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Drug Council supports testing of athletesDate: 12.07.2007
Posted by: Anabolic Info Team Cayman Islands
For three years running, the National Drug Council (NDC) has collaborated with Eye of the Tiger Productions to provide drug testing of competitors participating in the annual natural bodybuilding championships.
It is a partnership brought about by Tiger and Susan Wilson, the couple who host the annual INBF Natural Caribbean Grand Prix Body-building and Figure Championships and the WNBF Mr and Ms Universe Bodybuilding and Figure Championships, through their company, Eye of the Tiger Productions.
Tiger Wilson, who has been involved in body-building for over 20 years, says that from the very beginning he made the choice to be a natural body-builder, based on what he had seen drugs do to athletes who use them.
“I have seen the effects of anabolic steroids and I have seen the resulting health problems – liver damage, hair loss, heart problems, anger issues and other devastating effects,” Mr Wilson said.
He recalls that he became so disillusioned with the rampant use of drugs in the sport that in 1992 he took a break and stayed away from the sport for four years.
“As a natural body-builder, I was always searching for drug-free associations and competition,” he said.
The turning point came in 2002, when at the World Police and Fire Games in Indianapolis, someone gave him a copy of Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness magazine.
Reading through it, Mr Wilson realised that there were upcoming competitions for natural body-builders. He competed in one in North Carolina in June that year and placed sixth and then set his sights on the championship in New York in September of that year.
Mrs Wilson recalled that from June to September, Tiger Wilson “ate, slept and dreamt about the competition.” In the end, he won his pro card but was even more excited about the high level of drug testing that competitors had to undergo. He decided to emulate that in the local competitions he would promote.
“I decided to use my own success as an example to educate athletes that they do not have to do drugs to achieve their goals,” he said.
It is a message he has been quietly dispensing to bodybuilders for years and was happy to find a willing and supportive voice in the NDC.
The partnership with NDC has enhanced and placed more emphasis on the urine testing of the annual international bodybuilding competition. Competitors also undergo polygraph (lie detector) tests by a certified, licensed and insured official examiner from overseas.
Urine samples are tested for a full range of anabolic steroids, masking agents, diuretics, pro-hormones and other illegal performance-enhancing drugs as well as related diuretic and steroidal compounds.
All samples are sent to Quest Diagnostics – a certified lab in California for processing. The results of these tests must be received before winners can receive the entire complement of their awards.
The collaboration between the Wilsons and the NDC has earned the respect of the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation (WNBF) and the International Natural Bodybuilding Federation (INBF).
Steve Downs, WNBF Chairman and INBF Vice-President, said, “The goal of the INBF and WNBF is to promote natural athletics and health, and to legitimize drug-free sports with stringent drug-screening.
The inclusion of the National Drug Council in the INBF Caribbean Grand Prix and WNBF Mr/Ms Universe contests, which are promoted by Tiger and Susan Wilson, brings the drug-testing to the highest possible level.
The NDC’s role adds to the prestige of the event, but also guarantees that the stringent testing protocols mandated by the INBF/WNBF are being adhered to. In addition, the personnel from the NDC who oversee the urinalysis screening, such as Simon Miller, are professionals who do an exemplary job.
The INBF/WNBF considers its partnership with the NDC to be essential in putting on a first-rate drug-screened competition each year in the Cayman Islands.”
Over the years, NDC has acted as official scrutineer for the competition’s drug testing procedures and its Project Officer, Simon Miller, has been integrally involved in supervising the procedures.
“The NDC has been more than happy to work closely with Tiger Wilson on ensuring that the sport of bodybuilding and fitness in the Cayman Islands remains drug free,” Mr. Miller says. We think it is an important message to send to all current and future athletes that the long term benefits of a healthy, drug-free lifestyle are more important than any short term gain,” he said.
Following the body-building competition held at the Lions Centre at the end of April, the NDC presented the Wilsons with an appreciation plaque to honour their commitment to drug-free sports and in recognition of the role they have played to bring drug testing to body-building.
“They have clearly taken the lead on this issue and NDC fully supports their efforts. This is something that other sporting organisations should consider,” Mr Miller said.
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