A Canadian athlete experienced a meteoric rise and a resounding fall at Seoul 1988, when a positive drug test changed his life forever.
The Olympic Games are the perfect occasion for the whole world to come together to watch athletes represent their flag. It becomes a month full of joy, achievements and sorrows. An example of this is what happened to the athlete from Canada, Ben Johnson who starred in one of the biggest scandals in the history of sport.
In just 72 hours, he went from being a gold medal hero with a world record in the 100 meters, to being stripped of his achievements by a positive in an anti-doping control. The news shocked the entire world, as Johnson had defeated his great rival, Carl Lewisin a highly anticipated final. “I think I could have won those Olympics without having taken drugs, but that never happened“Johnson said.
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The story of Ben Johnson, the Canadian athlete who had a career as fleeting as his speed
Ben was born in Jamaica, but became a Canadian citizen and from a young age he attracted attention for his incredible speed and musculature. His career took off in the 1980s, and in 1987 managed to break the world record in the 100 meters at the World Championships in Rome, with a time of 9.83 seconds.
In the JSeoul Olympics from 1988, Johnson won the 100 meter dash final with a time of 9.79 seconds, setting a new world record. But his victory was marred by a positive result of the consumption of a anabolic steroidThe doping news broke just days after the race, and Johnson was forced to return his gold medal.
The case highlighted the problem of doping and the need for stricter measures to combat it. Johnson, who initially denied the accusations, eventually admitted to using banned substances and although he tried to return to competition, he never reached a good level again.
Source: Ambito
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
