The rise of steroids is a symptom of the state of CrossFit.
With the amount of money, corporate sponsors, and even fame that come with competitive CrossFit now, the stakes have all become too great to leave to chance, or something like hard work, dedication, and honesty. This year, with only 20 competitors advancing to Regionals, I can only imagine the amount of cheating in the Open and the use of additional (illegal) supplements to ensure a top 20 finish. The sport has grown to a point where people can make a living from it, as long as they continue to be competitive, and that sometimes means people will take more extreme measures.
I do not blame CrossFit for the rise of steroid use. I blame the individual. However, I do think CrossFit should take a stand against it. If an athlete has already been proven to have taken steroids, why should an honest person have to compete against her at a regional CrossFit competition? I also believe all top 20 regional athletes should be tested this year, immediately following the Open, and randomly throughout the year. If you test positive, the ban should last longer than the remainder of the season (duh)!
This is supposed to be a sport of role models.
Part of the reason I love CrossFit is that it exposes the general public to what you can achieve with hard work, real stories of people changing their own lives, and what it means to look fit, not just fat or skinny. This creates role models, and ones with results that are actually attainable. Instead of looking to the Kardashians, girls are looking to Camille. This is a huge victory. But finding out that one of those girls is not authentic is disappointing and insulting to the sport.
In the past few years I’ve watched incredibly naturally strong girls go from the top of the pack at Regionals to the middle and the bottom. Their incredible feats of strength are no longer out of the ordinary. Some of this is due to the rise in popularity of CrossFit, but I think part is also due to the rise of steroids. There are women with incredible work ethic re-working technique and working with some of the best coaches and programming in the game. And then there are the girls that seem to have little to no technique and magically making 40lb PRs practically overnight. I know firsthand what it feels like to watch those girls, envy their strength, and wonder what I’m doing wrong. Those “role models” are NOT attainable, and they will always have an asterisk next to their name and next to their accomplishments. Those girls are not role models; those girls are cheaters.
The responsibility of each gym
I also believe drugs get passed around gyms and get suggested between competitors. If a coach at my gym was using steroids, they would not be allowed to represent my gym, as simple as that. I would have no problem firing them, as I firmly believe that everyone at my gym is paying to participate in an honest, healthy, give and take community. They are not paying to be cheated, lied to, or have their ego blown up. It should not be controversial to have a policy like this one. You want to cheat? Good for you, do it at another gym.
I do not accept the opinion that “everyone” uses steroids and that makes their use okay. The fact that people are not surprised, and don’t care, frightens me about the state of competitive CrossFit. I also do not accept that anyone who uses steroids can be any sort of role model. That is not the example of fitness we can strive to attain and emulate, and I call on CrossFit to take a stand as well, to do their part to encourage fair competition and who they want to represent our growing sport.