Benefit Of The Doubt

Solid crew today at West Marine.  Here they all are together on their tabata kettlebell swing.

I sometimes get the question, from inside and outside the crossfit community, do you think those guys (or gals) are on steroids?  Referring mostly to the athletes you see compete at the crossfit games.  Although I can't say for sure, outside of one particular female competitor, I usually end up saying I believe most of them do not use performance enhancing drugs, especially the familiar names atop the leaderboads, Froning, Kahlipa, Smith, Panchick, Bridges etc.  I've seen it inside Crossfit gyms, in sports in high school, globo gyms, and it's obviously prominent in professional sports, but my gut has always just been that the top crossfit guys and gals don't use PEDs.   
These top athletes train more than any other in the world, without question they put their bodies through more training load and stress than any other.  Training is their sport.  Basketball players play basketball and do some strength and conditioning.  Crossfit athletes train.  We've had people on the internet and other places over the years make accusation towards Annie for using PEDs.  As ridiculous as that sounds to most of you reading this, it has made me sensitive and cautious whenever discussions accusing other athletes of PEDs comes up, although at times the fruit was hanging too low.  It takes away from everything they do to scoff and say they're on steroids.  The amount of work that has to be put in to be on that level can not be understated.
There was an eye-opening video produced by HQ recently (see below) about a games competitor who failed his drug test.  In that video they go over how many athletes have been tested since 2013 and the case behind each failed test.  This of course doesn't mean games athletes haven't found a way around Crossfits random testing, it was just nice to see that not only Crossfit has taken the proper steps in testing for PEDs (my stance comes purely from making sure the playing field is fair, not necessary that I believe all performance enhancing drugs are bad), but also that there hasn't been essentially any significant failed tests.  Like I said, you can't say for sure when someone asks you if crossfit games competitors use PEDs, what it does do though is give you more assurance when giving the benefit of the doubt to these top athletes.

Workout:

15 minute clock:
For Time:
20 meter overhead walking lunge (45/25lb plate)
1000 meter run
20 meter overhead walking lunge
-rest to 15 minute mark.
At 15 minute mark:
Alternating full tabata (16rds):
Kettlebell swing (53/70lb)
Push Up
-rest to the 30 minute mark.
At 30 minute mark - for time:
45 calorie row
45 box jump overs (24/20in)