In Belgium, anti-doping measures are already quite strict. As of this September, even amateurs will be targetted in the fight against steroids.
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This initiative was introduced in the hopes of 'addressing the lack of coordination in anti-doping efforts that previously caused problems such as lack and dispersal of resources for doping research and control, lack of knowledge about the substances and procedures used, and a disparate approach sanctions imposed on athletes declared guilty of doping', according to a Belgian agency.
Regardless of whether or not you're a casual gymgoer or attend religiously, you run the risk of being randomly tested upon entering the gym. According to officials, you could be subject to a fine of between£300 and £8,800 should you be caught testing positive.
A serious problem
The degree to which steroid abuse takes place in gyms currently is often underestimated. In France, random testing was conducted in a handful of gyms in the Flandres region and found 30% of athletes test positive for doping. Should this initiative prove successful, could we see it's introduction in the UK?
