DOWNFALL (WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BEN JOHNSON?)
Benjamin Sinclair "Ben" Johnson was (born December 30, 1961) and was a Canadian former sprinter who enjoyed a high-profile career during much of the 1980s, winning two Olympic Bronze medals, and an Olympic Gold which were subsequently rescinded due to doping (steroids).
By the time of the 1987 World Championships, however, Johnson had won his four previous races with Carl Lewis and had established himself as the best 100m sprinter. At Rome, Johnson confirmed this status by beating Calvin Smith's 100m world record, by the large margin of 0.1 seconds, with a time of 9.83 seconds.
After Rome, Johnson became a lucrative marketing celebrity. According to coach Charlie Francis, after breaking the world record Johnson earned about $480,000 a month in endorsements. Johnson won both the Lou Marsh Trophy and Lionel Conacher Award, and was named the Associated Press Athlete of the Year for 1987. Finally, without naming names, Lewis said "There are a lot of people coming out of nowhere. I don’t think they are doing it without drugs." This was the start of Lewis’ calling on the sport of track and field to be cleaned up in terms of the illegal use of performance-enhancing drugs. While cynics noted that the problem had been in the sport for many years, they pointed out that it didn’t become a cause for Lewis until he was actually defeated, with some also pointing to Lewis's egotistical attitude and lack of humility. During a controversial interview with the BBC, Lewis said:
“There are gold medalists at this meet who are on drugs”,
“That (100 metres) race will be looked at for many years, for more reasons than one.”
Johnson's response was:
“When Carl Lewis was winning everything, I never said a word against him. And when the next guy comes along and beats me, I won’t complain about that either.”
This set up the rivalry leading into the 1988 Olympic Games.
On September 24, Johnson beat Lewis in the 100m final at the 1988 Summer Olympics, lowering his own world record from 9.83 to 9.79 seconds. Johnson would later remark that he would have been even faster had he not raised his hand in the air just before he finished the race. However, Johnson's urine samples were found to contain steroids (namely Stanozolol), and he was disqualified three days later.
After the Seoul test, he initially denied doping, but, testifying before the 1989 Dubin Inquiry, a Canadian government investigation into drug abuse, Johnson admitted that he had lied. Charlie Francis, his coach, told the inquiry that Johnson had been using steroids since 1981.
In 1991, after his suspension ended, he attempted a comeback, but without much success. He only made it to the semi-finals of the 100-meter race during 1992 Olympics held in Barcelona.
In 1993, he was found guilty of doping at a race in Montreal and was subsequently banned from the sport for life by the IAAF since this was his second failed drug test. Federal amateur sport minister Pierre Cadieux called Johnson a national disgrace, and suggested he consider moving back to Jamaica. Johnson commented that it was "by far the most disgusting comment [he had] ever heard."
In 1999 Johnson made headlines again when it was revealed that he had been hired by Libyan dictator Muammar al-Qaddafi to act as a soccer coach for his son, Al-Saadi Qadhafi, who aspired to join an Italian soccer club. Al-Saadi ultimately did join an Italian team but was sacked after one game when he failed a drugs test. Johnson's publicist in Canada had predicted in "The Globe," and "Mail," that his training of the young Qadhafi would earn Johnson a "Nobel Peace Prize."
Johnson also briefly acted as trainer for Argentine soccer legend Diego Armando Maradona in 1987.
Ben Johnson spent much of the latter part of the 1990's living downstairs in the house he shared with his mother and sister. He spent his leisure time reading, watching movies and Roadrunner cartoons, and taking his mother to church. After losing his home in Markham, Ontario to foreclosure, Johnson's current spacious home in Newmarket, Ontario's Stonehaven neighborhood is one of the last remnants of his former wealth; he claims to have lost his Ferrari when he used it as collateral for a loan from an acquaintance in order to make a house payment.
In a January 1, 2006 interview Johnson claimed that he was sabotaged in Seoul, and also stated that 40% of people in the sports world are still taking drugs to improve their performance.