Chris Benoit - Steroids or Society -What caused his death?

By Michael Ferencsik / INBA Natural BodyBuilder

Was it steroids that lead to the horrific death of famous wrestler Chris Benoit and his family? That is a mystery that only qualified individuals can determine. On one side you have individuals pointing fingers yelling roid rage. On the other side you have people defending him and even going so far to question if it was Chris Benoit who committed this terrifying act. The only thing we know for a fact is that Chris Benoit, his wife and innocent child are dead.

I have had a number of individuals writing in and asking what my opinion is and asking me to jump on the roid rage band wagon. As a natural athlete it would seem the obvious route that I would take but I have never been the type to cast stones if I don’t know for certain. If steroids are to blame and I’m not saying they are you cannot blame the drugs but the individual that abused them and even more the people that encourage that abuse.

Before you point fingers at a Chris Benoit or any professional athlete for using or abusing anabolic steroids and performance enhancing drugs ask yourself a simple question. Have you ever been guilty of encouraging that abuse? I think if we are all honest we will all answer a resounding yes. Let’s face it we all live in a society where being bigger, faster, stronger, is better. But when does it stop being better and start being dangerous?

As sports enthusiasts, we all want to see records broken and new standards continually set. Sport promoters have known this from the very start and when the stakes are set as high as they are today one athlete’s health and well being does not have much impact on the direction and future of the sport.

The dark side of steroid abuse is a topic that would shock even the most seasoned large inner city homicide investigator. The madness of this abuse has got to stop and the purity and respect of all sports needs to be returned to its rightful state. But will we be satisfied with idolizing anything less than a superhuman? A superhuman whose strength, speed, agility and endurance are all based on the effects of anabolic steroids.

When I was growing up in the 70’s and early 80’s I was no different than any other young athlete. My particular sport was bodybuilding and I wanted to achieve the success and fame that I observed on the covers of the muscle mags I believed in and respected so much. Through the innocence of youth there also comes a certain degree of naivete and I had my share.

Once my eyes were opened to what it was going to take to excel as a professional bodybuilder I put my bodybuilding aspiration aside for almost two decades. I instead concentrated on helping others reach realistic fitness goals and shared with them the endless benefits of being healthy and active.

As a bodybuilder who has been hard at work constructing and detailing my physique for three decades I have been standing on a soap box trying to encourage young bodybuilders to stay away from the so called “dark side” of the sport.

Now with the opportunity I have been given to showcase my physique in the Natural Bodybuilding arena my efforts are now being taken seriously and people are starting to listen.

The tragedy of Chris Benoit and his family, steroid induced or not brings to light the seriousness of the situation. Sports and physical activity whatever form they might take for you are ways to elevate your fitness level and enable you to enjoy your life to the fullest. In the microwave society in which we live, quick results are often times not only desired but unfortunately casually expected.

As a natural bodybuilder I have learned to savor the healthy journey and never look at it as a destination. So whatever your desired goal might be slow down and enjoy the journey. So do we blame the Chris Benoit’s of the world, the promoters or society itself for the deadly grip steroids have placed on our athletes?

I say before you point a single finger make a statement against drugs by getting your life on track and become as healthy and as fit as you can be by leading a clean and active lifestyle. Simply say no to drugs by setting the best example you can and maybe just maybe not so many individuals will be tempted by the life threatening effects that are waiting for all those who dare to tempt fate and rush the results that only time can achieve.

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