A room search conducted at the St Andrew’s College dormitories on Wednesday 19 May confirmed suspicions that certain boys had been using anabolic steroids.
A room search conducted at the St Andrew’s College dormitories on Wednesday 19 May confirmed suspicions that certain boys had been using anabolic steroids.
The search also revealed that one boy was actually supplying the performance-enhancing drugs to other learners. The six learners range from grades 10 to matric and four of the culprits are minors.
St Andrew’s principal, Paul Edey claimed that “the boys in whose rooms steroids were found were truthful and there was no denial”.
Disciplinary hearings have taken place, but three of the boys’ parents have appealed and the outcomes of the appeals are still pending.
The boy who was supplying the steroids acquired them through a website that delivers by post. Edey stated that they have informed the South African Institute for Drug Free Sport of the matter who will then communicate directly with the website supplier.
When viewing the website homepage it does not openly say that it is for adults only, but in the top right-hand corner of the page there is an inconspicuous envelope that, when clicked upon, displays “Over 18 only”.
The non-medical use and sale of anabolic steroids is illegal according to the National Drug Policy for South Africa.
None of the learners are on first or second sports teams, and the boys claimed that they were using the steroids mainly to change body shape and add muscle.
Edey explains that experimentation plays a big role in why teens take steroids with the influence of advertising and the media also being significant: “You think you’re immortal when you’re young.
You don’t think of the consequences when you’re always living in the now.” This is despite many efforts the school has made to raise awareness among parents and learners of the dangers of anabolic steroids.
Last year two sports practitioners came to speak to the boys, and a letter was sent to parents warning them of the rise in steroid use.
St Andrew’s is busy negotiating a formal agreement between all South African boys schools of the International Boys Schools Coalition and the Institute for Drug Free Sport to allow random testing which will hopefully eradicate this practice.
For now the steroids have been stored in astrong room on the school premises, but Edey did not confirm the exact quantities for safety reasons.
The steroids found were Winstrol, Dianabol, Testosterone Propionate, and Testosterone Cipionate. Prices on the website for these particular steroids range from R250 to R800 for one cycle, which can be anything from six to twelve weeks.
Taking Steroids may result in creating muscular definition and increasing muscle mass or increasing a person’s strength and performance but they can have various negative side-effects.
These include: liver and kidney damage; acne; high blood pressure; aggression; testicular shrinkage; or in extreme cases men can develop gynecomastia which is the abnormal growth of breast tissue.
Despite the discovery of the distribution and usage of these illegal substances almost a month ago, the school has kept quiet about it.
Edey was overseas at the time it occurred, so it fell to the vice principal, Gunther Marks to prepare an official statement, which was never made public.
Disciplinary action for the guilty parties is not yet finalised, but the official statement says that the punishments will include suspension from the school, a ban on participation in all inter-house and inter-school sport, and compulsory attendance of substance abuse programmes.
Last year some boys in the St Andrew’s first rowing team were randomly selected to be tested for performance enhancing drugs at the South African Schools Rowing Championships, and all of the rowers’ results were negative.
The school’s first rugby team has been having a particularly good season, but Edey jokes that “it’s got nothing to do with steroids!”
The school has a clear stance on its attitude towards these illegal practices and as Edey commented, “I do not condone it at all. There is a scourge of steroids in schoolboy sport, and we need to educate and counsel against their usage.”
