FORMER OLYMPIC SPRINTER Ben Johnson is convinced that the use of performance-enhancing drugs is still prevalent in athletics.
Johnson won the 100m Olympic title at the 1988 Seoul Olympics but was later stripped of his gold medal after testing positive for banned steroids.
Now, 25 years on from his own doping scandal, the 51-year-old has turned anti-drugs campaigner and was in Sydney on Thursday as a spokesman for the Choose The Right Track anti-drugs awareness program.
Johnson refused to discuss specific cases, including Jamaican veteran Asafa Powell’s recent positive test, but when asked if he believes current athletes are still using banned substances, he replied: “Yes, absolutely.
“In my case when I was doping in 1988, I ran (the 100m in) 9.79 seconds, even though I slowed down 20m out, but I was exhausted, very exhausted.
“It took me two weeks to recover, now you have guys running that fast and faster, and running like nothing happened, so you can tell how advanced the drugs are today.
“I do believe that for people to run this fast and to run so many rounds and not get tired, I think they need lots of oxygen in the cells of the body, in the muscles.
“The more oxygen you have in the body the faster you can recover, so that’s what’s been going on.”
Johnson would not be drawn when pressed for his thoughts on Jamaica’s anti-doping policy.
“I can’t comment on those athletes in Jamaica,” he said.
But the Canadian did bite when asked if he would have beaten current world and Olympic champion Usain Bolt in his prime, responding: “This question’s been asked and I say yes.
“Because if you know about sports and if you know about technology, if you know about what’s been going on and understand the true sports then you would know what I’m talking about.”
Johnson admits that he would never have pursued a career in athletics if he knew how things would turn out but hopes to make a difference to the lives of younger athletes in his new role as an anti-drugs campaigner.
“I’m just trying to do my part as best as I can in trying to clean up the sport in this campaign,” he said.
