Athletics: Greed, money and glory to blame for drugs, says Johnson

DISGRACED Olympic champion Ben Johnson blames a world of “greed, money, prestige and glory” for the scourge of drugs in his sport.

Johnson stripped of Olympic gold for using a banned substance yesterday offered his support to British sprinter Dwain Chambers who tested positive for the designer steroid THG at an out-of-competition test on August 1.

It is widely anticipated Chambers will receive a two-year ban, even though he maintains it was simply a case of being ignorant over the food supplements which contained the illegal substances.

"I really support Dwain all the way," Johnson told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek.

"I hope he can come back and run again and make something for himself. He shouldn't worry about what other people say.

"Some people might not like him because he has tested positive but Dwain is only human. He should be allowed to run again at some point. This is the way society is; this is the way life is. It is about greed, money, prestige and glory."

The THG controversy, which has also claimed US world championship gold medallist Kelli White among its victims, has thrown athletics back into the dark days of 1988.

It was at the Olympic Games in Seoul that year when Johnson became the most notorious drugs cheat of all time, testing positive for an anabolic steroid. Johnson was stripped of his gold medal and left South Korea in disgrace, just days after winning what is still regarded as the greatest 100m race in history.

It took 14 years for any athlete to record a legal time under the 9.79 seconds Johnson produced, and efforts are under way to re-enact the race with the original eight athletes involved.

Britain's Linford Christie who was given the silver medal after Johnson's shame emerged has so far declined to take up the new challenge.

"It is a way of making money," admitted the Canadian, who was banned for life after a second positive test in 1993.

"But what happened in 1988 was all about money. If you win a race you get lots of endorsements.

"It was the greatest race of all time and it would provide great entertainment for the people who wanted to see it again."