DUBAI // Teachers say Dubai youth must be taught more about the health risks of steroids and other drugs.
There is a temptation for young players to get big quick, said a former professional rugby player who teaches in Dubai. And more information on how to use them is more easily available than before, such as online tutorials.
“Amateurs see big, powerful players succeeding in the professional game and want to emulate that,” he said.
“Rugby is very competitive for young players if they want a career in the game, and that pressure to succeed makes shortcuts an attractive proposition for some. Steroids are not taken to improve fitness, purely to pack size on.”
Rugby is the biggest sport in UAE schools, with thousands playing in Dubai and at least one school team per year group.
“Young players who are on the edge of making it as a professional will see big gains quickly by taking steroids. That may be enough for them to succeed in a trial or to win a contract,” the teacher said.
“It is a risk that steroids will be out of their system by the time they come to be randomly tested. We teach about certain drugs, but only for those taking PE.”
School curriculums do not include information on steroids, testosterone, human growth hormone or erythropoietin, he said.
“Occasionally, pupils will ask me out of interest,” the teacher said. “I tell them it is about hard work. There are no short cuts.”
nwebster@thenational.ae
