Ben Johnson and Steroid Abuse in Canada.
Instead of being famous, going down in history as a world champion gold medalist, in the 100 meter sprint, Ben Johnson due to steroid abuse was instead, found to test positive for steroids at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. He was sent home from the games, and later stripped of all his previous world records and medals.
Banned from competition for two years, Johnson attempted to make a come back in 1991, but had lost form – failing to be placed in the finals at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. He was found, in 1993, to be using steroids again at a sporting event in Montreal, Canada, and was subsequently banned for life.
Born in 1961, Johnson emigrated in Canada, from Jamaica, and lived in Toronto. His sprinting career peaked in the 1980′s. As a result of his successes – with him winning numerous medals for the 100 meter sprint, and relay racing – Johnson was said to be the fastest man in the world – and invested as a member of the Order of Canada in 1987, the same year that he was named Associated Press – Athlete of the Year, earning a small fortune as a result of product promotions and endorsements.
By late 1988, he would be stripped of all honors due to testing positive for stanozolol, an anabolic steroid.
Johnson found some further fame in coaching the son of Muammar Gaddafi, and acted as trainer for Diego Maradona in 1997. Johnson wrote an autobiography Seoul to Soul in 2010.
He now lives with family in Ontario, and continues to work as a coach.
Doping continues to haunt the sport of athletics, and many take the risk, hoping not to get caught. Part of the problem with doping is that it taints all sportsmen – particularly winners, with the assumption that they must, at some point be taking performance enhancing drugs, in order to be winners. In fact, many if not most of the track and field competitors in Seoul in 1988 are acknowledged to be winners without dope.
An article, written in 1988, that appears in Sports Illustrated makes it clear, that although many in sport use drugs to “enhance performance”, not all successful sportsmen do drugs, and of those that choose to take drugs such as steroids – their motivation is generally to overcome feelings of doubt, anxiety about failure.
In the article appears strong evidence that most people in sport want to keep it clean, want to win by fair means, even perhaps Ben Johnson himself, given the freedom of choice.
A source quoted in the article says that Ben’s trainers said that “he was a skinny little guy, until they beefed him up on steroids – a sponsor said to have offered a million dollars to get Johnson “fit” by Seoul.
Just before the events, in Seoul, an American trainer is reported to have been shocked by the yellow appearance of Ben’s eyes – a sign of liver dysfunction. The suggestion is that Ben was promoted, as a commodity, in priority to concerns about his health.
Frequently, in looking at the lives of top performers, outstanding entertainers, there is a sense that they are acting under enormous pressures – drug use seems to be both a way of trying to extract a maximum performance, and a way of coping.
Young people thinking about using drugs in sport need to understand the risks, not only of putting in so much training, and time, only to get busted, but of causing harm, such as fatal heart conditions, and liver failure, caused by drug toxicity.
Many cases have occured of young people becoming ill, sometimes dying because of their preoccupation, and addiction to performance enhancing drugs.
Young people need to make a commitment to saying no to steroid drugs, whether for increased sports performance, or just to enhance appearance.
British rugby hooker, Terry Newton died in September 2010, after taking steroids – amphetamines, and cocaine. Although sudden death among athletes on steroids is well documents, there is also evidence to show that many steroid users go on to use addictive, illicit drugs as well as, or to withdraw from steroid use – often with unintentionally harmful results – injury and death.
Depression, lack of confidence are associated with steroid use, and with illicit drug taking. People who are or who think that they might be at risk of steroid dependence or addiction need help.
Effective help for recovery is provided by comprehensive steroid and substance abuse programs.
Start to detox your life, gain true freedom from steroid abuse, depression and insecurity by using a comprehensive residential detox and rehab program to get back to feelings of happiness.
When it comes to celebrity, fame and fortune, there are many types of pressure both from other people, and our own desire to meet our own expectations, put on a good performance. People with the skill can always perform well, without any need of drugs.
Performance based on drugs has little satisfaction - whether you are a star, or an ordinary person. Ordinary people can do great things – in a spirit of perseverence and courage – and a determination to do their best – without the aid of drugs.
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