THE SIDELINES : Bodybuilder Admits Drugs Use

The winner of the 1988 Mr. USA bodybuilding title, who said he used anabolic steroids to keep up with the competition, has pleaded guilty to charges he accepted a shipment of the illegal drugs.

John DeFendis, 32, of Lake Worth, Fla., told U.S. District Judge James C. Paine the 149 ampuls of muscle-building steroids were for his personal use and were a gift from a French bodybuilder.

“I used steroids because I’m a professional athlete and because you’re almost required to do so,” DeFendis said after the hearing. “I wasn’t using steroids to get an edge on the competition; I was using them to keep up with the competition.”

DeFendis faces five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 27.