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The price of 'roid rage'

Broadcast Date: June 5, 2004

Former boxer Bob Hazleton is one athlete who wants the world to know he used anabolic steroids — and they ruined him. He can't hide the evidence: both his legs were amputated because of the injections and infections caused by habitual steroid use. Hazleton says the "roids" caused psychological side effects too: anger, violence and depression. As we hear in this CBC Radio report, Hazleton thinks of himself as "the most stupid man" who ever lived.

The price of 'roid rage'

• In the 1960s, Bob Hazelton was a promising but undersized 183 pound heavyweight boxer. On Dec. 6, 1969, He fought George Foreman at the International Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Foreman outweighed him by 40 pounds; the bout was over in 88 seconds.
• Hazelton started taking steroids, put on 27 pounds, and moved up the world rankings, coming close to qualifying to face Joe Frazier for the heavyweight title.

• In 1980 circulation problems and pain in his legs ended Hazelton's boxing career. He moved on to taking human growth hormone. He bulked up to 320 pounds before the leg damage led to amputation above the knees in 1986 and 1987. Because steroids lead to bone loss, he has needed more than 50 operations on his legs.
• Hazelton embarked on a lecture tour, speaking to more than five million high school students about the dangers of steroids

• "Roid rage" is a term used to describe the symptoms of aggression sometimes prompted by steroid use. In addition to their physical side effects, steroids can cause manic symptoms including aggression, euphoria, reckless behaviour, decreased need for sleep and, when taken in high doses, even violence. There is still scientific debate about the existence of such symptoms, due in part to the ethical problems posed by giving high doses of steroids in experiments.

• Boxing has been notoriously slow to demand testing fighters for steroids. In 2002, Nevada became the first American state boxing commission to test fighters for steroid use.
• As of May 2004, regulations against doping in professional boxing were also in force in Europe, the province of Quebec, and some cities in British Columbia, Alberta and New Brunswick.


• According to some studies, the fastest growing group of steroids users are not athletes, but young people who simply want their bodies to look better.

The price of 'roid rage'

Medium: Radio

Program: The World This Weekend

Broadcast Date: June 5, 2004

Guest(s): Suroj Achar, Bob Hazelton, Tracy Ulrich

Host: Lorna Jackson
Reporter: Christopher Grosskurth

Duration: 8:25

Last updated:
Aug. 16, 2004