Some Gold’s Gym franchises are distancing themselves from bodybuilders and weightlifters due to the association of anabolic steroid use among these groups. Tom Martini, the owner of Gold’s Gym in Stoughton, believes that there are fewer steroids users at his gym because it is designed to attract more individuals interested in aerobics and fitness programs (”Stoughton gym owner addresses steroid incident,” October 2).

Martini said his gym does its best to discourage steroid use, but it’s impossible to keep people from talking about them when they come to the gym. He says young men, in particular, are mesmerized by the big-muscle look glamorized in health and fitness magazines.

“The young guys want the look, and it’s easy,” Martini said. Martini says he thinks his gym, which has a variety of aerobic and fitness programs, has fewer steroid users than gyms that are mostly geared to body builders and weightlifters.

Once upon a time, Gold’s Gyms were known as the place for serious bodybuilders to workout. The stigma associated with steroids has made this group a much less desirable demographic. This is especially true now that law enforcement has become more aggressive in arresting and prosecuting steroid-related cases.

There is nothing like a steroid bust on the premises of a gym to hurt business. This occurred at the Gold’s Gym in Stoughton where John Schifone and Denis Meloand were arrested during a steroid transaction in the gym parking lot last month (”Stoughton men charged with steroid possession,” September 18 ).

Police said that on Aug. 28, Schifone was seen approaching a vehicle in the gym parking lot and receiving a black knapsack that was thrown to him by a passenger.

State Trooper Timothy J. Curtin said Schifone went into the gym and emerged a few minutes later accompanied by Melo.

Police said they saw Schifone walk to the passenger side of a parked vehicle, reach down into the floor area and retrieve an object from a white plastic bag and hand it to Melo.

State Police approached the two men and asked for identification. Police said they retrieved from Melo three small boxes with 10-milliliter bottles of steroids.

Authorities said they seized from Schifone’s vehicle two additional 10-milliliter bottles of steroids,a syringe and pill bottles.

When this happens, it is all a matter of public relations where the gym must denounce steroids and disassociate themselves from the groups that represent the most obvious manifestations of steroid use.