Track and Field Liars and Cheats

In 2007 United States Olympic medalist Marion Jones admitted to steroid use. For years she denied that she had been using steriods (denial seems to be what most athletes are doing). Jones even testified before two grand juries that she never used steroids.

In a 2004 interview, BALCO founder Victor Conte told 20/20 that he had personally given Jones five different types of performance enhancing drugs before, after, and during the Sydney Olympics. However, Jones had never failed a drug test using the testing procedures of the time, and there was insufficient evidence to bring charges against the athletes.

In October 2007, Jones admitted to lying to federal prosecuters investigating the BALCO affair. She was stripped of her five Olympic medals and sentenced to six months in prison and 200 hours of community service.

One of the biggest steroid scandals in track history would have to be the 1988 Seoul Korea Olympic 100m final. Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson won the gold medal and set a world record of 9.79. Ben Johnson was a respected runner who was always a competitor he was in the top 3 or 4 but was not expected to beat Carl Lewis let alone set a new world record.

Just days after the race Ben Johnson failed his urine test. He tested positive for Stanozol. Ben Johnson was immediately disqualified from the race. He was stripped of the 2 Olympic bronze medals and one gold medal that he had won. They also did not count the world record that he has set. He went from being a loved hero to shaming his country over night. Today Ben Johnson has admitted to using steroids and says that everyone during the 1980s was also doing them including Carl Lewis who has never tested positive. Ben Johnson’s coach Charlie Francis, testified that Johnson had been using steroids since 1981.

I think it is sad that people use steroids to improve their performance. Ben Johnson claims that he is faster than Usain Bolt. We will never know how fast Ben Jonson or Marion Jones really is because he is a cheat and a liar. Once caught using steroids it is hard to ever really trust that person again. These athletes are so phenomenal that no one will ever know what their full potential really ever was. I don’t think these athletes are thinking in the long term what the side affects of these drugs are. You are forever harming your body and health for what? A couple years to be the best? Then you are forever forgotten for your greatness and only remembered as a disgrace.