Body of evidence in a clean sport

Bill Linnane goes backstage at the National Bodybuilders Championship in Cork to hear about the competitors’ dedication to steroid-free methods of developing muscle

When it comes to achieving your sporting dreams, there are no shortcuts. Except obviously there are — steroids. Aside from big name busts like Lance Armstrong, there are more and more whispers of big names across the sporting world using pharmaceutical enhancements to gain an edge on a competitor.

But of all the sports tarnished by steroid abuse, bodybuilding is one that seems synonymous with the practise. However, there are those within the scene who utterly reject any medical shortcuts — to an almost forensic degree.