unsaveSave
A new report from the organization CAN shows that 8,000 people used doping preparations in Sweden in 2023.
But according to the police, there is a huge number of people in the dark.
– I don’t know whether to laugh or cry when I see the numbers, says Johan Ekström, criminal inspector at the police’s intelligence section.
ⓘ The summary is made with the support of AI tools from OpenAI and quality assured by Aftonbladet. Read our AI policy here.
Show more
chevron-down
Mats Kardell, 64, was second in a Mr. Universum competition in the 80s, completely without the help of doping. But after he was offered doping preparations, he built up his body with the help of anabolic steroids.
He is surprised by the new data that 8,000 Swedes doped themselves in 2023.
– There must be as many as possible. It really doesn’t sound like much, he says.
expand-left
full screen Mats Kardell, 64, at the gym. Photo: Stefan Jerrevång
Police alarm
The police also have a different picture of the use of doping than what appears in the report published on 17 June. The authority believes that the dark figure is large.
– We stop shipments all the time and there are always new people and I have lists of several thousand users who have only bought in the last month, says Johan Ekström, Criminal Inspector at the police detective section.
Since November 2023, the police have expanded powers. The post office can raise the alarm if they receive packages or letters that they suspect may be drugs or doping preparations.
Since then, they have seen results.
– You may not possess, sell or use. But it is not punishable to order, which is completely insane.
How easy is it to get hold of doping preparations would you say?
– It is very easy. There are a lot of pages. You can just google it and order. Then it’s on the Darknet too.
expand-left
fullscreenJohan Ekström, criminal inspector, at the police detective section. Photo: Kristoffer Bergström
FACT Many are previously unpunished
17,000 shipments have been seized since the law was introduced last year. They contain narcotics and doping preparations. Many of those shipments contain steroids. Currently, around 30 people are in custody for serious, and particularly serious, drug offences. Many suspects are previously unpunished and usually have an orderly life with a job and family. If there are minor children, the police make a report to social services. The police wrote that in a press release on June 12.
The sale of doping preparations takes place illegally. Just like drugs. Much of the money ends up with criminal gangs.
– Criminal gangs make more money selling steroids than drugs. The advance is higher. The competition is higher when they sell drugs, says Johan Ekström, criminal inspector at the police detective section.
Read more
expand-left
full screen In the competition Mr. Universum 1988 Mats Kardell took silver. Photo: Stefan Jerrevång
Mr. The body of the universe is destroyed
Mats Kardell has won four SM gold medals in bodybuilding, but doping has ruined a lot. Early on he had problems with impotence, panic attacks and his body has taken a beating.
He also became addicted to alcohol and drugs. There was a divorce and he has very little contact with his children.
– Yes, my body has collapsed like a house of cards here at the end. I would never have gone this way, it wasn’t worth it, says Mats.
For many of those he competed with, between 1980 and 1994, things went badly. Many are dead now.
expand-left
full screen Mats Kardell 1988. When he was doped. Photo: Stefan Jerrevång
FACT 8,000 Swedes have used doping
The Central Association for Alcohol and Narcotics Information, CAN, published a report on June 17. There, half a percent of the adult population answers that they have used doping preparations at some point.
8,000 people aged 17–84 have used doping preparations in the past 12 months.
The report Doping Development in Sweden 2024 highlights the use of hormone doping, especially anabolic androgenic steroids, in Sweden during the last 30 years.
– To be able to direct the preventive efforts correctly, as well as develop care and treatment, we need increased knowledge about the group that uses or is at risk of starting to use anabolic androgenic steroids. It is also clear that there are no care programs to take care of those who need treatment. says Charlotta Rehnman, director of CAN.
The figures are based on surveys and the report also states that it is difficult to obtain information on how many people use doping preparations.
Read moreLied to loved ones
Mats Kardell traveled the world and competed during the 80s. Mr Universum in Las Vegas, Gothenburg, Tokyo and Brisbane. He met celebrities. Hulk Hogan, Carl Waters, who played Apollo Creed in the Rocky movies, Danny Trejo and other 80s profiles. In the early 80s, he opened a gym in Mjölby together with the profile “Hoa-Hoa” Dahlgren. But the lie, achieving success by cheating, was heavy to bear.
– Yes, but the load was like a yoke of lies. Both to my parents and my siblings and people around me. Lying to your loved ones gets really hard in the end.
expand-left
full screen Mats Kardell at the gym. Photo: Stefan Jerrevång
Lifers have thanked
Mats Kardell has talked to young people in schools about the risks of doping and that it is possible to build your body naturally. At school, he has been told how easy it is to order home preparations online.
– Those who have had low self-esteem can be satisfied when they find doping and gain some muscle and that strengthens them for the moment. But you have to be careful because these consequences will come much later, he says.
He has also had four lectures for life convicts at the Kumlabunkern where he talked about his doping problems, psychosis and being homeless.
– The inmates were a bit wait-and-see at first. But afterwards, when they recognized themselves in the story, they came forward and shook hands and thanked.
What was the feeling for you then?
– Yes, but it’s clear that you get warm in the body when you reach people, says Mats.
FACT Some points from the CANS report:
Statistics for the last 10 years show that the use has become more common in several places in Sweden. Now doping is also found in smaller towns. In the past, it was most common in big cities.
It is more common that those who use doping have tried other drugs, compared to people who have not doped. Among school students, it turns out that this also applies to gambling for money.
It is more common with a lower socio-economic status among those who use
doping preparations.
Hormone doping use mainly occurs among 20–40 year olds.
Relatively few women use hormone doping. This can be explained, among other things, by the fact that any side effects of the preparations are greater for women.
Compared to other countries, the use of doping is somewhat lower in Sweden. (However, there isn’t much data to compare it to, according to the report.)
In order to obtain the data from CAN’s national school survey, information from the last ten years has been combined. This provides a base of approximately 100,000 students, of which a total of 600 students in both grades have used doping agents in the past 12 months. About 1 percent of the boys and less than half a percent of the girls stated that they had ever used doping preparations. Then students in the ninth grade and two years of high school were asked. Fewer people use doping now than 20 years ago.
Among school youth, there have been some declines in the reported use of doping over the past 10–15 years.
In 2023, over half (56 percent) of those suspected of doping offenses were 30 years or older.
The number of suspected doping offenses has steadily increased among people aged 30 and over since 1993.
Read moreFACTS Customs’ seizure of doping preparations in 2023
Facts from CAN’s report: In 2023, doping seizures by customs and the police amounted to roughly 350,000 tablets, 29 kilograms of powder and approximately 130 liters of injection fluid. In comparison with the previous five-year period, the number of tablets was slightly lower, while the amount of injection fluid was relatively high.
Read more