Johnson voted biggest cheat

BEN JOHNSON has been voted the worst sporting cheat of all time for the 1998 drugs scandal that saw him stripped of his Olympic gold medal.

The survey, conducted in Britain, showed disgust for the Canadian's shameless flouting of the rules. They voted it worse even than other notorious cheaters such as Tonya Harding's shocking attack on arch-rival Nancy Kerrigan in the 1994 Winter Olympics, and Maradona's 'Hand of God'.

The survey was undertaken by SkillsActive, an employer-led organisation responsible for improving the level of training and skills of those employed in the sector.

Other findings from the research show people admit to being more competitive against their partners than their friends. And even more say they'd be happy to cheat against a member of their family.

The top five sporting cheats of all time, as voted for, are:

1 Ben Johnson tested positive for drugs in the 1988 Olympics at Seoul and was subsequently stripped of his 100 metres gold medal.

2 Hanse Cronje South African cricketer who was found guilty of fixing matches.

3 Diego Maradona scored against England for Argentina in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico by hitting ball into the net with his hand.

4. Tonya Harding who's boyfriend was found guilty of assault on Tonya's biggest skating rival, fellow American Nancy Kerrigan.

5. Boris Onischenko the least well known of the list, but perhaps the most inventive cheater. The fencer rigged the electronic point scoring system on his sword to record points even when he didn't hit his opponent.