“They’re Hittin’ the Lotto”: Former Bodybuilder Unveiled the Biggest Reason Athletes Use Drugs to Achieve Their Goals in 2009

Gregg Valentino is no new name in the bodybuilding industry. The retired bodybuilder is known to be one of the most controversial bodybuilding icons of all time. He once admitted to having given his bicep muscles direct injections of Synthol stacked with equipoise and test-propionate (approximately 3000mg each week!). The results were 27″ big biceps in his glory days.

Valentino admitted to having used steroids, and for a short while received global fame for having the biggest biceps in the world, as declared by Ripley’s believe it or not! In 2009, in an interview with ESPN, the bodybuilder shed light on the hypocrisy involving the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Additionally, he also revealed the real reason why athletes often choose to use them.

Gregg Valentino talks about doping

The 61-year-old has extensive knowledge about the human physique. Gregg even authored a book titled ‘Essentials of Bodybuilding’. The retired athlete discussed why athletes turn to dope in his interview. He explained how athletes would usually succumb to the pressure of performing well and resort to drugs to secure their chances of winning. 

“A million dollars is a lot for somebody to get to be paid for playing sports,” he said. “You’re giving guys 20-somethin’ million dollars. [They’re] hittin’ the lotto, they have to perform.”

Read More > “World Would Shut Down Tomorrow”: Former Bodybuilder With 27-Inches Biceps Made an Audacious Claim About Commonly Used Performance Enhancer in 2009

Valentino further draws a dichotomy between drugs and caffeine, which is also, technically, a drug. “The world would shut down tomorrow if we took away the ultimate performance enhancer: caffeine,” he stated.

Gregg faced dire consequences

Gregg Valentino received a piece of terrible news in 2020. The bodybuilder was diagnosed with cancer. Valentino was initially told he had a tumor, but he opted for a second opinion, as he felt there might be a more serious issue. He had additional testing to verify the efficacy of the procedure after the tumor was removed.

Additionally, Valentino underwent numerous procedures as part of his recovery. Shocked to the core by this discovery, the athlete reflected on his past life. He never smoked, never drank, and yet, The Synthol King was not spared from the consequences of his life choices.

Watch this story – 5 WWE stars who have a bodybuilding past

Valentino has had many antics in his life, involving the use of illegal steroids. Finally, he experienced what is known in the fitness world as “bigorexia.” It refers to a drug-fueled desire to gain as much weight as is unnaturally feasible and is the opposite of anorexia. In conclusion, the 27-inch biceps may have earned him immense TRPs, but it is no secret that he had to face the consequences later in his life.