The Death of Swedish Bodybuilding?
By Anders Ando Eskilsson
This article is taking a closer look a
t how the new and more restrictive laws for both using and selling anabolic steroids (AAS) affects the bodybuilding scene in Sweden.
It is late evening, it’s dark and cold outside; winter time. Inside of the building, there’s loud music spreading all throughout the crowded gym area when two noisy slams echo through the walls, 130 lbs. dumbbells falling to the floor.
During exercises, heavy sets and repetitions, two police officers enter the gym. They start to look around the area and speak quietly to each other. After a short while they walk up to a young guy who is resting on the bench of a Smith machine and start to ask him questions about his membership at the gym and his age. “Well, I have been a member for two years and I’m 24 years old,” he replies.
Shortly thereafter they tell him to follow them outside the building. He now looks confused and asks, “Why?”In response they show their badges, tell him the same thing again and that he doesn’t have a choice. He now follows them outside of the building. The two policemen explain to him that he is suspected of using AAS because of his muscular physique.
Afterwards they put him in the back seat of their car and bring him to the station for questioning and a urine sample. Meanwhile the prosecutor also decides that there will be a shakedown of his apartment in search of steroids.
New political priorities and laws against AAS are setting in
The biggest organized steroid bust called “Operation Liquid” was uncovered in Sweden early 2009. When the lawsuit was revealed politicians started to focus more on the laws of AAS and it was thereby climbing higher on their agenda. Their point was that the laws had been too weak earlier with low sentences for both using and selling. Deliberations started and the government granted the new tougher and more restrictive laws.
Another consequence – besides the law change – was that a new term was introduced, called “muscle profiling” where police look for possible steroid users based on abnormal muscle development and especially the “trapezius” then allowing them to force the suspected person to provide a urine sample. Later on, based on their testosterone level, they risked being charged.
One of the most famous examples was when the police arrested IFBB Pro Toney Freeman on accusations of steroid use after a seminar in Sundsvall. He was brought in for questioning and a urine sample. He had higher testosterone levels than normal and some THC in his bloodstream from some weed in Amsterdam. With the tests positive, they could have charged him under Swedish law for “possession in his bloodstream", but they let him go telling him to never visit Sweden ever again.
Further on in the police investigation of Operation Liquid it showed organized steroid distribution with connections from China and parts of Europe, but mainly in Sweden. Many people were incarcerated and taken for questioning for both using and selling AAS.
By the end of the trial of Operation Liquid a total of 57 people were convicted on charges of both illegal use and selling. The jurdical procedure, lawsuits, lawyers and the attorneys appeals earned a massive pricetag for the trial; the total around 8 million dollars.
That’s a record for a lawsuit for Sweden, 
and it’s a lot of tax money for the society to concentrate on one case – it’s quite controversial, however is it really worth it? Are priorities in order when you have a bill to the taxpayers of that amount? I can understand that the lawsbeing more restrictive because of the organized crime element, but is it worth putting 8 million dollars into just one case?
Consider also that alcohol is the cause of around 50 % of all the violent charges in Sweden – compared to steroids alone that in my guess are next to none. In my point of view, there are a lot more important crimes to give more priority to, like human trafficking, heroin sales, weapons smuggling, etc. These are crimes that give real and horrible effects through society.
Well, how does this affect the top competitors of bodybuilding in Sweden?
Some of the consequences are that a few people have chosen to move to Norway because of their more permissive laws towards steroids. But in June of 2013 Norwayalso changed their laws, making it illegal to have steroids in your bloodstream there as well. Many bodybuilders in Sweden feel like they are harassed by the police and the legal system, making them feel discriminated against because of this. Other users simply don’t really care if they get busted – they count it as part of the game and somehow accept the laws.
Are the laws a potential killer to the sport?
I say no. With a massively growing fitness industry, media and commercials pushing for the perfect body more than ever before, and western culture that sets the standard of the ideal look for both men and woman, the interest in sports-related activities will increase. And a percentage of these people will continue participating in bodybuilding, competitively or not. There will always be those who want to push the envelope to its max – as in most of the sports – but in ours especially. That means chasing muscle and therefore using AAS to reach their full potential.
Nutrition companies, media, and even people’s own work places – all of society, really – are encouraging people to take part in fitness activities. Either it’s taking classes in Grit (high intensity interval training), Spinning, CrossFit, or some other program, there’s a new person marching to the gym every day. We didn’t have this climate of fitness in Sweden 15 years ago, at least not as overwhelming as it is today.
Few would be aiming for bodybuilding if they weren’t inspired by such strong fitness marketing. And we should not forget how fast the internet is to spread all the marketing and fitness news in seconds. This was not the situation in the 80’s or 90’s, especially compared with today.
The new laws haven’t changed illegal steroid use at all, it’s rather counter-productive when the political system gives more attention to the steroid circus. I’m quite sure that there have never been as many users as there are today, and that is also due to the fact that everyone with a computer, smart phone or other internet connection is just a few minutes away from buying their favorite steroid like trenbolone, testosterone enanthate, peptides or whatever else they might be adding to their new cycle. Plus, with internet access – people also have more knowledge about using AAS.
Conclusions
The laws are not stopping anyone from taking steroids or achieving higher levels of muscle development. The show will go on, especially with what was earlier mentioned about the growing fitness industry. Andwith the prize money at the Mr. O
lympia increasing, and athletes like MamdouhElssbiaya.k.a. Big Ramybeing awardedfirst place at the New York Pro and Phil Heath winning multiple Olympia titles, the standards are pushed even higher.
This is really inspiring for fans of the sport, to grow and push their own bodies to new levels. BigRamy will probably encourage bodybuilding new bloodjust as Dorian Yates gave to the sport in the 90’s. With new guys like Ramy or current Mr. O Phil Heath making such a big impact there’s a trickle-down effect, with interest growing all over the bodybuilding world. In fact, there are so many contributing factorsrecharging the interest in bodybuilding around the world – including Sweden –that I absolutely do not see bodybuilding as a dying sport in the near future.
