The IPEDs assemblage: Tracing the entanglements of biomedicine, technology, enhancement and anti-doping policies in sport and society.

The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) recently ended their anti-doping partnership amidst controversy. We treat this decision, and the motivations underpinning it, as a means of exploring the complexities of anti-doping norms and the blurred lines between image and performance enhancing drug (IPED) use in sport and wider society. Drawing ideas from assemblage thinking, we analyse the evolving power dynamics surrounding IPED use, anti-doping policy, and the role of popular athletes in shaping societal perceptions of the use of, and potential harms associated with IPEDs.

Consuming 'God Juice': Using 'ethnopharmacological-connoisseurship' to situate trenbolone use and knowledge among image and performance enhancing drug communities.

Introduction: Trenbolone, a potent anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS), is used for its muscle growth benefits but poses significant health risks, including psychosocial issues. Existing research among humans is limited by lack of targeted investigation. This study addresses gaps in existing research by leveraging the ethnopharmacological expertise of trenbolone consumers.

Big business: The private sector market for image and performance enhancing drug harm reduction in the UK.

This article draws on three mutually independent ethnographic studies to explore the private sector market for image and performance enhancing drug (IPED) harm reduction in the UK, specifically examining (1) steroid accessory supplements; (2) blood testing services; and (3) bloodletting services. After contextualising the work with a discussion of IPED use and harm reduction and the substantial growth of the global health and fitness industry, each private sector provision is critically interrogated with the following questions in mind: what is the role and utility of these services compared to public sector provision? Why has the private sector begun to deliver IPED harm reduction products and services in the UK? And how does this provision relate to the health and fitness industry more broadly? The paper concludes with some reflections about the future direction of IPED harm reduction, the importance of community-led services, and the need to think innovatively if we are to best protect users' health and wellbeing.

#Sponseredathlete: the marketing of image and performance enhancing drugs on Facebook and Instagram.

This article sets out to investigate the marketing of image and performance enhancing drugs (IPEDs) on the social media platforms Facebook and Instagram. Drawing upon a 'connective' ethnographic exploration of IPED use and supply, the paper first outlines a supplier typology on these platforms, before shedding light on the marketing strategies employed by sellers in order to overcome the inherent distrust of online sales and build a trustworthy brand. Techniques identified include athlete sponsorship, the sharing of bodybuilding fitspiration content, self-objectification, posting images showcasing transformation photos and customer feedback, and seasonal sales and promotions.