Neil Currey: Parents blame steroids for bodybuilder son's death

Victoria Scheer - BBC News
·2 min read

The parents of a professional bodybuilder have blamed his use of steroids for his death.

Former Mr Olympia competitor Neil Currey, 34, was found unresponsive at his Sheffield flat in September 2023.

An inquest at Sheffield's Medico-Legal Centre on Tuesday, heard he died from a mix of methamphetamine and cocaine and that his body had struggled with his prolonged use of steroids.

His parents said the hormones had negatively impacted his mental health.

During the hearing, Nigel and Sandra Currey told assistant coroner Katy Dickinson that their son had always been sporty and played football until the age of 17.

He then studied sports at the University of Bath and worked for brand Fitness First as a personal trainer before turning his attention to professional bodybuilding.

His parents said he achieved his dream of competing for the Mr Olympia title at the annual Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend in 2022 but had struggled with his height/weight ratio and was reliant on steroids.

In a written statement, the couple, from Chesterfield, said his steroids intake "went off the scale" and by early 2023, he had become "very isolated and depressed" and cut himself off from his family.

They said it was their "firm belief" that his steroids abuse had impacted his mental health and was responsible for his death, adding: "It is accepted practice throughout the body building fraternity to take these drugs.

"Without the use of steroids it is impossible to compete, although this is called 'cheating' in any other sport."

The NHS website lists a number of mild to severe side effects of taking steroids, which include mood changes and the possibility of mental health problems such as depression.

At Tuesday's hearing, Ms Dickinson ruled Neil's death had been drug-related.

Risks of steroid use

UKAD has listed numerous physical and psychological risks associated with taking steroids. They include:

  • Gynaecomastia (man-boobs)

  • Genitourinary (shrinking of testicles)

  • Erectile dysfunction

  • Infertility

  • Heart attacks

  • Strokes

  • Blood-borne virus risk (e.g. HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C) as a result of injecting

  • Addiction

  • Depression

  • Aggression and violence (commonly called 'roid rage')

'Terribly missed'

Paying tribute to their son, Mr and Mrs Currey said he had been charismatic, extremely popular and naturally funny.

"He would light up the room when he entered it and he had a wonderful smile that lit up his face," they said.

"He is terribly missed and our lives will never be the same again."

Following Neil's death, a charity was set up to raise funds for an educational programme that warns of steroid abuse in young people which will be delivered to Derbyshire schools.

An introductory event will take place on 24 April at 18:00 BST at the Chesterfield Library auditorium.

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