In the world of professional sports, it’s against the policies for any athlete to use drugs and steroids but taking steroids into UK, according to the current legislation, are not considered a criminal offence. Therefore, it makes it contradict to the 2012 London Olympics. In the United Kingdom, only the trafficking of steroids is against the law. In consequence, if any athlete coming in for the Olympics with the possession of steroids and it is assumed to be for only personal use, then no charges can be filed against that person.
The UK government and the board for the 2012 London Olympics are intently considering that any steroid abuse or the use of performance enhancing drugs by the athletes should be extinguished. They will formally appeal to the World Anti Doping Agency that any athlete found guilty of breaking the sporting policies should be dealt harshly, and that the athlete should face at least 4 years or a life ban. Therefore, the WADA code, which is the two years ban for any steroids or the use of drugs such as Erythropoietin and growth hormones, is extensively being reviewed.
The Olympics minister, Hugh Robertson, urged in a statement for a universal law for drug offense and firm cohesive punishments to the athlete but UK anti doping chief executive, Andy Parkinson, who himself has backed the relaxation of some of the policies which is a bit contradictory to the statement made by the Olympic minister who is aware of different point of views in the sporting world.
During the recent Olympic Games held in various countries such as Canada, Australia, China and Italy, the government banded its legislative law regarding drugs prior to the start of the games but the UK government has denied the fact that they won’t follow the same footsteps.
The athletes will be able to bring a reasonable quantity of steroids into the UK prior to the games but only for personal use as it’s not considered a criminal offense but if any of the athletes found positive of drug abuse, they will have to deal with the anti doping policies.
The UK Anti Doping has said that they will work closely with the UK border agency on the arrivals of athletes and their teams. Exchange of information will take place both ways to assure that any suspicion can be looked upon seriously. Athletes who will be arriving with possession of steroids will be reported and may have to go through doping test prior to the games.
The international Olympic association has stated that they will undergo a wide series of doping test, around five thousand and one thousand blood tests to assure a fair game play throughout the entire 2012 London Olympics.
