Boldenone involved in nearly 5% of all Anabolic Steroid cases
July 24, 2025Detected in more than 300 cases worldwide, boldenone is involved in nearly 5% of all doping cases involving anabolic steroids.
Originally added to the Prohibited List ahead of the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, boldenone has since been involved in 317 known doping cases globally, according to figures from the Anti-Doping Database. This places the substance ninth among anabolic agents, just behind drostanolone and ahead of oxandrolone.
The list is topped by Stanozolol.
Most sanctions last four years
Of the 317 boldenone-related cases, 158 athletes received four-year bans. Another 85 were sanctioned for two years, while three-year bans were handed out in 27 cases. Lifetime suspensions have been issued in at least nine cases involving boldenone. Only a handful of cases resulted in bans shorter than one year.
These numbers reflect the severity with which boldenone violations are treated under current anti-doping frameworks.
In-competition detections dominate
Most boldenone cases have been registered following in-competition testing. Out of all known violations, only 40 originated from out-of-competition tests, and two from investigative findings. This means over 85 percent of detections occurred in or near the context of a competitive event.
Cases spread across multiple countries
The Czech Republic accounts for the largest share of boldenone cases, with 32 known violations. Other countries with double-digit figures include Mexico (18), India (14), Egypt (13), South Africa (12), Russia (12), and Colombia (12). Additional cases have been recorded in countries across Europe, Latin America, and Asia.
In the Czech Republic, boldenone ranks as the eighth most frequently detected prohibited substance, behind testosterone, stanozolol and clenbuterol.
Prevalent in muscle-based sports
Data show that bodybuilding has the highest number of boldenone-related violations, accounting for 73 of the 317 cases. Weightlifting follows with 33 cases, then track and field (29), cycling (23), and powerlifting (22). Rugby, baseball and wrestling are also among the sports most affected.
In bodybuilding alone, boldenone has been involved in more than 20 cases from the Czech Republic, with other instances reported in Poland, Serbia, South Africa, Kenya, and Mexico.
Long history in the prohibited list
Boldenone has been on the list of banned substances since before the 1988 Olympic Games. Despite its long-standing inclusion, the substance continues to be detected regularly. Between 2015 and 2024, boldenone violations were recorded every year, with peaks of 29 cases in 2017 and 27 in 2019. Although the number has declined in recent years, the substance remains active in anti-doping findings.
The first athlete we registered who tested positive for Boldenone was the track and field athlete Romas Ubartas from Lithuania.
In total, anabolic agents account for 6,777 doping cases in the Anti-Doping Database. The top five substances in this category are stanozolol (1,342), methandienone (829), norandrosterone (774), testosterone (752), and nandrolone (663). Boldenone is the ninth most frequent.