 Under his patronage, central and local government funding of sports centres and other sports facilities was rapidly increased, and he also initiated the first testing for use of anabolic steroids in sport.After retiring from athletics in 1954, Bannister spent the next forty years practising medicine in the field of neurology.In March 1957, he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps at Crookham, where he started his two years of National Service, with the rank of lieutenant.