EPO easy to obtain from gym
By Josh Massoud
August 24, 2006
ARTIFICIAL growth stimulants are "just a conversation away" for NRL players.
That's the verdict from Sydney's body building fraternity, which was hardly fazed by suggestions league stars might be taking illicit human growth hormones or erythropoietin to assist physical development.
Industry sources last night said footballers simply had to "put the word out" in certain gyms to avail themselves.
"It's a small world - everyone knows everyone," one bodybuilding promoter said.
"If you want something you just put the word out there and you can find it."
One gym owner, who declined to be named, said there were three main ways of obtaining the hard-to-detect stimulants.
A "friendly neighbourhood doctor", a vet or a supplier with international contacts were the most common pathways," the gym owner said.
"For a growth hormone, you're probably looking at about $2000 for a four to six-week course," one source said.
"The average bottle of steroids is about $100, although you need to use a few different ones to get results."
The majority of illegal stimulants are shipped from Mexico or Europe, disguised as genuine drugs in bottles designed to beat customs officials.
These are then passed on to suppliers with contacts in gyms across the country.
While cheaper, the underground option poses far more health risks than going through a GP.
"You've got to be careful with the stuff coming out of the gyms," one insider said.
"The most dangerous risk is growth hormones taken from dead bodies. You can contract all sorts of diseases. The artificial stuff is much better."
Either way it's frighteningly simple for players to get their hands on an unfair boost.
"Most footballers started out at a gym somewhere from way back," the insider said.
"Once you've got the trust of the right gym it's just a conversation away and bingo - you're in."
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