On this day in 1988, sprinter Ben Johnson was sent home from the Seoul Olympic Games in disgrace. The Canadian was also stripped of his 100m gold medal after testing positive for drugs. On his arrival home, in Toronto, Johnson said he will appeal against the International Olympics Committee's verdict.
But the IOC has already said the athlete's intended defence - that a herbal drink he consumed before the race had been spiked - will not be accepted. Samples of Johnson's urine were tested for drugs immediately after the 100m final three days earlier, which he won in a world record time of 9.79 seconds. And Olympic officials confirmed last night that traces of the anabolic steroid, Stanozol, had been detected. The sprinter was woken in the early hours of the morning to be told the IOC had decided to send him home.
Canada's Prime Minister Brian Mulroney said it was the correct decision, but a tragedy for Johnson and a great sadness for for all Canadians.
