The history of drug testing and bodybuilding has been a tumultuous one. Legendary bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, and many who came later have admitted to being enhanced during their prime. Hence, when the Arnold Classic became the first elite bodybuilding contest to incorporate drug testing in 1990, it raised some eyebrows.

Ste***ds and other kinds of PEDs have always been the open secret of professional bodybuilding. However, drug-tested 1990 Arnold Claissc was quite the disaster, and the show has never tested athletes since. So what happened? Bodybuilders got tested before the show, but it took weeks for the results to arrive. Controversy ensued the moment the results arrived.

Why the Arnold Classic doesn’t test bodybuilders

Some of the best bodybuilders of their time, such as 1983 Mr. Olympia Samir Bannout, Nimrod King, and the 1990 Arnold Classic champion Shawn Ray failed the tests. Ray had to forfeit his winnings which included the Arnold Schwarzenegger trophy and $60,000 prize money. Instead, Mike Ashley was declared the winner. Ashley later said that he was a career natural bodybuilder.

Years later, Shawn Ray confessed to four-time champion Flex Wheeler that he had stopped using PEDs five months before the contest. However, that strategy didn’t help Ray. As the Classic was still a new competition, they couldn’t afford such controversies. However, later that year Mr. Olympia also decided to go drug-free, and things didn’t go too well either.

Renowned bodybuilding writer Peter McGough told Natural Mr. Universe winner John Hansen that every bodybuilder at the 1990 Mr. Olympia looked “soft.” Though champion Lee Haney didn’t fail the first test, no other IFBB-sanctioned bodybuilding show has gone down the route of drug testing since then.

So what happened to the rules and regulations regarding banned substances? Although the Arnold Classic or the Mr. Olympia no longer test their athletes, they have rules regarding dr*g use in place. However, instead of coming up with its own rules and regulations, the IFBB adopted the ones used by the International Olympic Committee. 

A list of prohibited substances under WADA

The IFBB adopted the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rule set in 2004. While the IFBB tailored the ruleset to suit bodybuilding, WADA maintains and updates the list of banned/allowed substances. Since the IFBB sanctions the Arnold Classic, they follow the same rules. Here’s a list of everything that the bodybuilding show doesn’t allow.

Anabolic ste***ds

Anabolic ste***ds are artificial drugs that bodybuilders take orally or through intramuscular injection. These include testosterone, stanozolol, trenbolone acetate, nandrolone, etc. They are specifically designed to maximize muscle gain.

Beta-2-agonists

Athletes use these substances to pile on muscle mass and boost strength. Clenbuterol, formoterol, and salbutamol are common examples. Hence, the International Olympic Committee calls these substances “Anabolic agents and stimulants.”

Growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)

Bodybuilders use growth hormone (rhGH) and insulin-like growth factor (rhIGF-I) to increase muscle mass. These also increased stamina and endurance and became popular during the mass monster era when competitors chased size. 

Diuretics

The name diuretic has a hint of what they do to the body. Bodybuilders use diuretics to clean up traces of other drugs and get the shredded look with paper-thin skin. Diuretics are also among the riskiest substances to use because they heighten the risk of dehydration.

Stimulants

Athletes use stimulants for their performance-enhancing capabilities that help them during training. These substances include cocaine and amphetamines (ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, caffeine, and related substances)

Erythropoietin

EPO is used in medicine to promote red blood cell production in the bone marrow. However, in athletes, it also helps boost the cardiovascular capacity of athletes.

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Cannabinoids

Cannabis contains Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC might have potential performance-enhancing effects during training and in competition. Although not proven yet, its potential was enough for WADA to flag it.

Glucocorticoids

Like GH and IGH, glucocorticoids also boost stamina and endurance. However, they do not affect muscle mass.

Consequences of using banned substances at the Arnold Classic

Unsurprisingly, no performance-enhancing compound makes it to the list of allowed supplements, such as Whey protein, BCAAs, vitamins, etc. Although it has never happened before, the Olympia and Arnold Classic hold the authority to test an athlete. If the bodybuilder fails such a test then the IFBB has the right to penalize the athlete.

A bodybuilder who intended to cheat suffers a four-year penalty. If an athlete unknowingly takes a tainted supplement and proves it, “ineligibility may range from 2 years to a reprimand, depending on your level of fault.”

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In 2019, Arnold Schwarzenegger caused an uproar at the Arnold Classic Africa. During the seminar, the seven-time Mr. Olympia called for drug testing in bodybuilding. The Bodybuilding icon argued that people are taking more substances to stay competitive while damaging their bodies. However, nothing came of it, and the Arnold Classic remained drug-testing-free, and that won’t change anytime soon.