Young people across the UK are being exposed online to harmful SARMs, sold in tablet form, marketed with misleading or ambiguous language, with UKAD’s survey findings revealing the scale of the problem.
UKAD is deeply concerned about misinformation online and is highlighting the health risks as part of Clean Sport Week: Built Not Bought. 100% me (11-17 May).
Jane Rumble, CEO of UKAD, said: “Clean Sport Week: Built Not Bought is all about the importance of integrity, health and well-being for elite athletes and gym-goers alike. That is why our new survey findings are so concerning. Young athletes and gym-goers are being exposed to online misinformation promoting IPEDs (Image and Performance Enhancing Drugs), including SARMs. SARMs are not ‘safer’ steroids, the associated health risks can be life-threatening. Let’s be clear, SARMs are illegal to sell for human consumption and are banned in sport.
“Our survey has helped highlight the prevalence and misunderstanding on the issue. We want to raise awareness of the misinformation and serious health risks associated with SARMs and help keep the next generation of sports fans and future stars safe and well.”
Laura Deas, Vice-Chair of UKAD’s Athlete Commission and retired Winter Olympic medallist, added: “It’s concerning to see how much exposure to content about SARMs young people are seeing online, and that almost a third4 of them are seeing adverts about these dangerous and illegal substances at least once a week in the past 30 days. Athletes have a duty to educate themselves and to protect the integrity of sport by not taking shortcuts, but also as role models to let the wider public understand the importance of integrity, safety and well-being in sport.
“Don’t swallow the lie – it’s not worth your health, career or reputation.”
A quarter (25%) of the young people surveyed had not heard of any health risks associated with IPED or SARM use.
Unsurprisingly parents shared their concerns in survey findings5, though they were less aware of the frequency with which their children were seeing the adverts. Over a quarter (28%) of parents did not know how often their child (aged 14–19) had been exposed to SARMs-related content on social media in the past 30 days, with 48% believing there was no exposure at all, and only 15% believing exposure occurred at least once per week6. Four in five (80%)7 were concerned their child had been exposed to online content promoting ‘superhuman results’ or ‘shortcut results’. More than 8 in 10 (81%)7 parents of young people reported they were concerned their child is exposed to online content on social media that normalises the use of IPEDs.
As part of Clean Sport Week, UKAD is partnering with the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) — the professional development body for the UK’s sport and physical activity sector and a registered charity.
UKAD urges anyone who sees the use of SARMs in a product marketed as a food, a supplement or for human consumption, to make a report to their local authority responsible for trading standards.
If any athlete or support personnel has concerns relating to SARMs, please check UKAD’s new Factsheet on SARMs. For athletes or support personnel with any suspicion of doping in their sport, they can report it to UKAD via the Protect Your Sport channels in confidence.
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