Q&A: Nandrolone

What is nandrolone?

Nandrolone is an anabolic steroid which occurs naturally in very small quantities in the human body, or in very large amounts artificially if you're willing to slip £20 to a dodgy bloke round the back of your gym.

What do I get for my money?

Nandrolone increases muscle size and density, aids recovery from injury, helps athletes train longer and increases competitiveness and aggression.

Brilliant! Where can I get some?

Woah, not so fast. Nandrolone's unpleasant side-effects are not unlike those of a heavy night on the sauce. Abuse can lead to kidney damage, heart and liver disease, increased blood pressure, wild mood swings and impotence. Oh, and if you're a woman, you may turn into a man.

Sounds rubbish. Surely no right-thinking athlete would get involved with them?

Well, you'd be wrong. In 1999 a semi-retired Linford Christie tested positive and was unable to coach his athletes from the trackside at the 2000 Olympics. In football, Edgar Davids was banned for a year after excessive quantities of nandrolone were found in his system. Across the pond, the San Francisco Chronicle alleged that New York Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi admitted using nandrolone during an investigation into drug use in baseball.

Are there any doubts over the testing process?

Studies have shown that the combination of a high-protein diet and exercise can push the presence of nandrolone in the body above legal limits. Bobsleigher Lenny Paul was acquitted after arguing that his hamburgers had been full of steroid-stuffed beef. A final possible cause of incorrect urine test results is the presence of metabolites from other anabolic steroids. But seeing as these substances are also banned it doesn't make the most compelling counter-argument. It should be noted that athletes are tested on an A and B sample and the results for Shoaib and Asif's B sample are yet to come through.

What punishment can Shoaib and Asif expect to receive?

They could face lengthy bans but as the tests were conducted by the Pakistan Cricket Board, they come outside the jurisdiction of the International Cricket Council. In 2003 Shane Warne was banned for a year after testing positive for a diuretic at the World Cup. Meanwhile former Warwickshire wicketkeeper Keith Piper was banned for only four months in 2005, but that was for testing positive for the distinctly non-performance-enhancing use of cannabis.