Dr Ziegler the creation of dianabol

Ziegler accompanied the U.S Weightlifting Team to Vienna in October 1954. According to him, over "a few drinks" a Russian physicist testified to Dr. Ziegler he was supplying testosterone to the Russian athletes. Prior to this, Ziegler testified that he was annoyed by members of the Soviet delegation who thought he was "stimulating our boys with some kind of drug to make them lift better"; the physicist repeatedly asked "What are you giving your boys?".

For a period of time Dr. Ziegler worked at the Ciba Pharmaceutical company, who supplied testosterone for experimental purposes. In the early 1950s his patients included people suffering from burns, as well as the seriously injured or handicapped. In 1952 he worked with a number of trainees but had mixed results using testosterone. Dissatisfied and possibly overburdened with patients, he distanced himself from research into performance-enhancing drugs until 1959, a year or so before the 1960 Olympics.

By the time of the 1960 European Championships in Milan he was understandably suspicious of the Russians--"the Russians are giving their athletes ‘something." Therefore, he asked John Grimek to propose to his chief, Bob Hoffman that steroids be administered to members of the American Olympic team. Mr. Hoffman, however was cautious and later remarked it was "too close to give to the men who will represent the USA". According to Grimek, "Apparently, he doesn’t think it will do that much good, and may even have detrimental effects , . . .He appears doubtful." However, Hoffmann later retracted on his decision and administered drugs to the certain American weightlifters on the team.

John Ziegler retired from medical practice in 1963. About this time, he reportedly told Hoffman "It is very, very possible, that special training techniques and other devices along with greater physiological knowledge may enable man to achieve physical performances now considered SUPERHUMAN!".