Doping a problem in amateur sports too

(ANSA) – Rome, December 4 – Doping is a problem in amateur as well as professional sports in Italy, according to the health ministry. In a report released Wednesday, 22 amateur athletes tested positive for drugs in the first six months of 2013. The number represented 2.8% of the athletes tested, most of whom were men aged 39-44. The data suggested doping was more common in the south, and that the most common substances detected were steroids and cannabis. Cycling was among the sports with the highest doping rates at 6%, while virtually every sport tested, from rugby to handball, bore signs of use to some extent. The study showed the majority of athletes use a high rate of legal drugs and supplements. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED