Sports minister Tracey Crouch wants to make steroid possession illegal in the United Kingdom
08.02.2016

High Level Government Official Wants to Discuss Criminalizing Steroid Use in the United Kingdom

British bodybuilders are among the luckiest in the world when it comes to the possession of anabolic steroids for muscle-building purposes. The reason is that it is perfectly legal for British residents to possess a personal supply of steroids for self-administration. They can even import a personal steroid supply on their person when flying back into the U.K. It is perfectly legal.

However, Sports Minister Tracey Crouch wants to re-examine existing U.K. steroid laws. She thinks the government should be open to criminalizing steroid use and doping. Crouch told Sky News that such a policy change may be necessary to better enforce the moral agenda of anti-doping organizations.

“We actually have very strong anti-doping procedures in place, and that’s what makes the UK anti-doping agency one of the best in the world,” Crouch said. “But we have to look at criminalization to see whether or not that’s something we can add to the toolbox of combating corruption in sport.”

Is it the beginning of the end for decriminalized steroid use in the UK? Does Sports Minister Crouch have the clout and influence to change existing steroid law? It seems unlikely given the United Kingdom’s strong opposition to international pressure over the past decade.

U.S. DEA and Operation Raw Deal

U.S. DEA and Operation Raw Deal

In 2007, Operation Raw Deal was the largest steroid law enforcement action in the history of the United States. Over 50 underground laboratories (UGLs) that manufactured steroids were busted in the U.S. alone.

Unbeknownst to most people was the fact that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) exerted significant pressure on other countries around the world to join them in coordinating what may have been the largest international steroid law enforcement action in history.

At least 12 other countries worked in conjunction with the U.S. DEA during Operation Raw Deal. These countries included Australia (Operation Kasha), Belgium, Canada (Operation Powder Keg), China, Colombia, Denmark, Germany, Israel, Mexico, Peru, Sweden and Thailand.

The United Kingdom stood alone as the one country that adamantly refused to cooperate or share information with the U.S. DEA during Operation Raw Deal. This rebuff really pissed off the DEA.

“The steroid laws are very good here in the U.S.,” DEA Special Agent Rusty Payne said. “But from our standpoint, the (steroid possession) laws in the U.K. are quite weak. There are many in the DEA here who think this is a problem. Maybe there isn’t enough teeth in your law. Weak drugs laws basically say: this isn’t a priority. In the U.S., steroids are only permissible under doctor’s prescription. Otherwise it’s a crime to possess, distribute or manufacture.”

2012 London Summer Olympics

2012 London Summer Olympics

In 2012, the United Kingdom once again refused to cave into to international pressure to criminalize steroid possession when the 2012 Summer Olympics came to London. The International Olympic Committe (IOC) exerted significant pressure upon U.K. politicians to criminalize the personal use of anabolic steroids prior to the 2012 Olympics. U.K. steroid laws were amended to prohibit importation of steroids via mail. But politicians refused to budge when it came to mere steroid possession.

If the U.K. refused to participate in the U.S. war on steroids during 2007 Operation Raw Deal and refused to criminalize steroid possession during the 2012 Summer Olympics, it seems highly unlikely that the U.K. will change the law in response to the moral grandstanding of a single politician even if that politician is the Minister of Sports.

So, Minister Crouch’s comments are unlikely to have any real teeth. British bodybuilders on steroids can feel free to carry on.

Source:

Cutler, T. (December 18, 2015). U.K. GOVERNMENT OPEN TO CRIMINALIZING DOPING. Retrieved from http://europe.newsweek.com/uk-government-open-criminalising-doping-406799

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