Many athletes on the way to records, titles and new milestones in their careers used banned drugs that directly affect their endurance, strength and speed. Some cases in world sports have become resonant and have led to long disqualifications and ruined careers, the deprivation of all titles, achievements and awards.
Marion Jones – Athletics
The American runner became the Olympic champion in Sydney at the 2000 Games in the disciplines of 100 and 200 meters. By this time, Marion was one of the most dominant athletes in her discipline, twice taking gold at the world championships. The doping scandal involving the runner began after the interrogation of her husband, who testified in the case with the BALCO laboratory. By the way, pin up casino offers not only slots but also accepts bets on athletics in India.
A pharmacological campaign has invented a drug that masks the use of steroids. Marion Jones, according to her husband, injected doping in the stomach right during the 2000 Olympics. Until 2007, the American denied her guilt, but after that, she admitted guilt in the BALCO case under oath. As a result of the doping proceedings, at least 20 well-known athletes were punished, including baseball player Barry Bonds and sprinter Dwayne Chambers. The use of the drug THG entailed for Jones the deprivation of all achievements in the Olympic field and the inglorious end of her career.
Ben Johnson – Athletics
It was 1988, the 100-meter race at the Seoul Olympics, where Ben Johnson competed with the dominant champion of that period, Carl Lewis. Before the race, the Canadian’s head coach said, “If you don’t accept it, you will lose.” So the athlete crossed the forbidden line and gave out his best race in his career – a gold award and a world record with an indicator of 9.79 seconds.
As a result of the proceedings of the following years, it turned out that dozens of athletes used heavy doping, and the problem of steroids in world and Olympic sports became threatening. As a result, 6 out of 8 athletes showed positive samples after the final race. It is an egregious case that directly influenced the subsequent tightening of control in athletics.
Diego Maradona – football
The legend of world football has been a scandalous athlete throughout his career, which does not reduce the degree of his uniqueness and genius. In 1994, Diego passed a positive doping test after a match with Nigeria. Then, without any proceedings, Maradona was disqualified for 15 months. The reason for the harsh punishment was the athlete’s previously proven cocaine addiction. This is also mentioned by the authors from Wikipedia.
After the disqualification, the Argentine justified himself by saying that as many as 5 prohibited substances got into his body as a result of taking medication for flu and runny nose. The suspension from football led to the end of Diego’s career in the national team and the subsequent completion of performances at the club level.
Lance Armstrong – Cyclist
A legendary athlete who in the 2000s personified cycling and the victory over cancer. But in 2012, a doping scandal broke out, which contained charges brought against Armstrong following positive testing in 2009 and 2010 for steroids. The American tried to fight for his achievements for a long time and proved his innocence in court.
On August 23, 2012, USADA announced the athlete’s lifetime disqualification. In 2013, Lance admitted to doping and was stripped of many titles and previously received royalties. Armstrong managed to mitigate some punishments, but he became an example when all the greatness and symbolism of an athlete could be destroyed due to violations of the principles of fair play.
German athletes in the period 1970-1980
During the tense political situation in the world, sport has become an effective indicator of the superiority of representatives of one country over others. And the athletes of the GDR, who massively doped under the leadership and patronage of the ruling elite, were most zealous. The participants of the national team could not give up steroids, as the alternative was great repression by the government.
The result of the illegal activities of German athletes in the period from 70 to 80 years of the 20th century was the publication of evidence of numerous violations already in the 90s. The direct fault of more than 9,000 German athletes, who later became disabled, and died from cancer due to the harmful effects of chemicals, has been proven. It is the most massive example of a doping system built at the level of the political elite of the country.