The use of performance-enhancing drugs has been a controversial topic in several professional sports in recent years.

You can now add surfing to the list.

Brazil's Neco Padaratz last week became the first surfer to be suspended by the Association of Surfing Professionals for testing positive for anabolic steroids.

"The Association wants to take a stand, and unfortunately, Neco had to pay the price," said Randy Rarick, who is Hawai'i's representative on the ASP.

Padaratz was ranked No. 27 on this year's World Championship Tour, but all his rating points were taken away because of his suspension. He will not be eligible to surf in an ASP-sanctioned event until January 2006.

According to an ASP press release, Padaratz said he was taking the steroids as part of his treatment for a lingering back injury. However, ASP rules and discipline officer Robert Gerard said the ASP has a "zero tolerance" policy against performance-enhancing drugs.

Padaratz failed a random drug test at a contest in France in 2004, but the French Drug Testing Authorities did not reveal the results until recently.

Rarick said the ASP will sanction random drug tests throughout the year, and the Hawai'i events in November and December are no exception.

"It definitely could happen here," Rarick said. "You just hope the surfers get the message that the ASP just put out with this suspension."