Obviously not — they’re just really, really good. But as the Olympics kick off in Beijing today, it’s something to ponder, not only about the hoopers, but regarding all Olympic athletes with more ink splurged around than a messy, ugly printer paper jam.

A new study shows that some dopers may be drugging up through tattoo needles, giving athletes some art and bulk at the same time. Tat needles “increase the effect of drugs, meaning athletes can take smaller doses and ‘fly under the radar’ in dope tests.”

Interestingly enough, the man pictured below should have broken a few Olympic world records in multiple events. Pre-Olympic drug testing, however, found that he was on loads of steroids. And in four years, he’ll be really screwed: