Book Review, ‘No Limit—How Much Doping Can Society Stomach’

Ines Geipel courtesy by Friedrich

Ines Geipel’s book ‘No Limit—How Much Doping Can Society Stomach’ lists risks and side effects of steroids and their nightmarish consequences

Those looking with astonishment at the images of the Olympic Games, anticipating new records, jubilating, are obviously still unaware of the price most of the athletes have to pay to participate in these competitions. Ines Geipel, former world sprinter for the DDR [the former East Germany under communist rule] has been following the issue of doping for many years. Her own body still has symptoms of the forced doping she was subjected to and knows only too well that newer methods are more difficult to detect, but the results are no less fatal.

Unlimited possibilities for athletes—no limit for any woman or man? Doping is no longer a problem for top athletes, but has infiltrated society in fitness clubs, offices, schools, in the stock market and politics. Performance is the credo of the hour. The dream of an optimally functional person in this day and age of efficiency is becoming ruined. Her book lists the risks and side effects of this practice and the nightmarish consequences.

She leads the readers into the chat rooms of the younger generation who exchange ideas on the Internet about testosterone and nandrolone-tips (a steroid) to insert into the shoulder muscles, supposedly a harmless way to achieve fitness and a custom-molded body.

Even readers who have never considered this topic in detail need to immerse themselves in her urgent, well-flowing writing. A glossary in the back of the book explains all terms in easy to comprehend language. 

She did not shy away from entering testing laboratories and doping kitchens in China. Her underlying motive is always the fate of those people who are ignorantly giving themselves over to doping or are not protected from [compelled] doping, such as the Chinese child gymnasts. She has held discussion with experts worldwide, pushing the questions to those responsible; she does not give up.

I strongly recommend buying this book and reading it several times!

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