All You Need to Know About Doping in Athletics and Doping Control

Not all steroids are suitable for athletics, track and field, and martial arts. Most people use PEDs to achieve an increase in muscle mass, but bulking agents are not good for increasing agility or endurance. 

However, SOME steroids are perfectly suitable for competitive sports, even though you need to choose your gear and your cycle carefully. Some of the suitable compounds include:

• Testosterone esters (Enanthate, Propionate, and Cypionate);
• Anavar;
• Turinabol;
• Equipoise;
• HGH;
• Cardarine (or GW-501516);
• Ostarine (or MK-2866);
• Erythropoietin;
• Caffeine and Ephedrine (pre-workout).

To be fair — some people report using Masteron, Deca, or Winstrol, but these compounds aren’t the most popular choice. Winstrol can be a great addition for athletes, but it often causes joint pain (which is an obvious drawback for endurance sports, where joint health is essential).

Note of Caution

Of course, we’ve got to note that AAS (anabolic-androgenic steroids), SARMs, hormones, peptides, and even some stimulants are still banned by WADA in 2025.

For example, in 2016, a team of Russian sportsmen were banned from major international events for using a so-called “Rodchenkov cocktail” — a wild mix of Tren, Superdrol, and Anavar. If you plan on competing in a major event and using gear — you’ve got to be extra cautious about doping control.

How does doping control work in 2025

Doping control is a procedure used to determine if an athlete has been taking any performance-enhancing drugs. Independent organizations test athletes’ blood or urine samples at WADA-approved labs.

Usually, the sample is divided, allowing for two tests — A and B. If one of the samples has been positive, and the other is negative, the doping control has no effect on the athlete. However, if both samples test positive, it can lead to disqualification.

Here’s how this procedure goes in 3 stages:

1. Notification: an athlete is approached by a doping control officer, informing them about an upcoming test and asking to sign a form;
2. Arrival at the station: after notification, the selected athlete should get to the station as soon as possible, minimizing the risks of cheating;
3. Sample collection: the athlete should provide a sample in the chosen collection vessel. Afterward, the sample will be divided into two containers, sealed, and sent to the lab.

Even though an athlete is obligated to report his whereabouts and go through doping control when he is told to, he can delay his arrival at the station if he has valid reasons. Also, some drugs can slow down (or speed up) a compound’s metabolism, allowing the athlete to avoid testing positive:

• Diuretics (but they’re banned as well);
• Drugs that block renal function temporarily.

Of course, if an athlete has a therapeutic use exemption (TUE), they can use the drugs that have been prescribed to them.

Anabolic Steroids Detection Time

Anabolic steroids in athletics

The main goal of CrossFit athletes, cyclists, sprinters, long-distance runners, and swimmers is to increase their anaerobic endurance, sharpen their focus, and reaction. 

Some can say that AAS aren’t that helpful in athletics since there’s no need for gaining muscle mass, but that’s not true.

Steroids can be a great aid for a variety of goals:

• RBC (red blood cell production boost);
• Improved recovery process;
• Joints and ligaments support;
• And extra agility. 

Classic bulking agents, which lead to increased muscle mass and provide great pumps, are good if you’re a bodybuilder, but useless if you’re an athlete: 

1. Your muscles will get stronger, but the blood supply will be too intense, and endurance will be sharply reduced;
2. The best steroids for a bulking cycle are aromatizing androgens that can cause water retention (bloating & swelling).

And finally — if you’re in martial arts, you definitely don’t want to change your weight category with some extra mass in exchange for little to no endurance and speed improvements.

Popular stacks and solo steroid cycles for sports

Now, what CAN you apply to competitive sports, endurance-based competition, and martial arts?

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Testosterone ― 100-150 mg/week ― increases RBC production, HCT (hematocrit) levels, and enhances recovery;
• Turinabol ― 20-40 mg/day ― improves endurance and strength;
• Anavar ― 20-40 mg/day ― great for lean muscle mass, stamina, and strength stats;
• Boldenone ― 300-400 mg/week ― boosts endurance and speeds up the recovery;
• Winstrol (injectable) ― 25-40 mg/day ― high endurance, enhanced mind-to-muscle connection.

HGH isn’t a steroid per se, but it’s a hormone that can be used for recovery (especially after traumas), additional joint support, and enhanced anaerobic endurance. The recommended dosages vary between 2-5 IU/day.

You can stack Test (in low — like, TRT-low, at about 100 mg/EW — doses) with HGH, Anavar and Winstrol, EQ, Turinabol, or SARMs.

All those options can be beneficial for athletes, sprinters, boxers, or cyclists. Here’s what the endurance-focused cycle may look like:

Steroid Cycle for Performance

SARMs use in sports

If you want to increase your endurance without the need to go through post-cycle therapy, you can always choose SARMs:

• MK-2866 or Ostarine: 10-20 mg/day, 8-12 weeks;
• GW-501516 or Cardarine: 10-20 mg/day, 4-12 weeks;
• MK-677 or Ibutamoren: 10-15 mg/day, 8-12 weeks.

Here’s a more detailed look at some of the SARMs on the list and their benefits:

MK-2866 and GW-501516 Advanced Cycle for Endurance

If you would like to increase the dosage — you can easily go for it, though it’s best to start on the lower side. If you don’t have any experience with Cardarine and Ostarine, you should try to run them solo first.

Both MK-2866 and GW-501516 do not cause HPTA suppression, so you won’t need PCT after this one.

How to take PEDs before competition

Right before the competition, don’t try stacking compounds, the risks are too high. It is much better to go for solo-cycles in low dosages. 

Compounds with short half-life are preferable, so the average (not the WADA-level that detects trace amounts for 6 months) doping control risks would be lower.

If you have the opportunity to stop your cycle before the competition (in advance), it’s best to do so. You can’t know when the doping control officer will approach you, but you know that there are greater risks when the competition is around the corner.

Even if you’re not concerned about doping control, you need to take a break before the next cycle (for a month or two) and let your body produce hormones at the normal rate. After a two-month break, you’ll be ready for your next cycle. However, it’ll depend on your physical and mental health state, so a few months is just an approximation.

Doping control and steroids FAQ

Why might you be selected for doping control?

The first thing you need to know ― there’s nothing personal, it’s just a standard procedure (though, maybe a little pointless). Athletes’ selection can be random, based on their results in the competition, or on intel. 

Are CrossFit athletes tested for steroids?

Yes, CrossFit athletes can be tested before or after the competition, as well as out of competition. The rules and stages are the same: doping control officer, station, samples, and so on.

Why are steroids such a temptation for pro-athletes?

Pro-athletes train day and night to get better endorsements, contracts, and sponsors. It’s their bread and butter, after all. But it doesn’t mean they don’t work for what they want to achieve. On the contrary, PEDs are just tools; they are pretty useless without putting in real hard work.