Steroids in Motorsport

Professional motorsport is physically demanding, requiring not just physical strength, but also a high level of endurance, along with quick reflexes. However, it is not a kind of sports people associate with the use of steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs.

In recent times, many sports people have realized the importance of using steroids, and motorsport is no exception. Using steroids may not only improve physical endurance, help train better, it can also increase the level of aggression. Even minor gains count in competitive sports.

It is true that participants of motorsports remained untouched by various bans on steroids use for quite a long time. The governing body of motorsports that is FIA came up with clear anti-doping policies only in 2010 when it adopted the list of banned substances provided by WADA.

Although it must be said that control of substance use or misuse is still not very strict in motorsports, as banning is one thing, and testing all together another thing. Further, penalties in motorsports may vary; decisions are often circumstantial.

Is there a place for steroids in motorsports?

Benefits of steroids in motorsports remain controversial, as it is a sport that may need endurance, but it does not require extreme muscular strength. Moreover, in most cases, adequate strength can be built even without steroids. Nonetheless, steroids may help gain results faster, they may improve muscle memory, and learning processes, boost mood and confidence.

Another possible role of steroids in motorsports could be in post-injury phase. People involved in motorsports may frequently get injured, may have pulled shoulder, ligaments, muscles, tendons, and in many cases, they may suffer from severe injuries due to accidents. Steroids can help them recover faster and be a part of the sports sooner.

Using steroids for faster physical recovery after the sports injury is legal and allowed by medical textbooks and law. However, sports governing agencies do not allow such use. It means that steroids, even when used to hasten recovery, though medically approved, will still not be considered legal by sporting bodies.

In motorsports, non-steroidal performance-enhancing drugs are more commonly used

Since in motorsports, many other factors are more important than physical strength, most sports bodies would rather look for non-steroidal drugs that help improve mood, increase endurance, reduce fatigue, and boost risk-taking abilities. Some of the drugs more commonly found in the sports are mood elevators like amphetamines or cocaine derivates.

To summarize, steroids may help in most of the sports, including motorsports, in many ports, they may contribute to better performance indirectly. They make training more effective, may help recover from injuries faster, help elevate mood, increase aggressiveness, and provide a competitive edge.