Johnson: 'We're guilty until proven innocent'
(China Daily)
Updated: 2004-07-26 06:22

Former Olympic champion Allen Johnson believes athletes like his girlfriend, world 100 metres champion Torri Edwards, are paying the price for the misdeeds of his namesake Ben Johnson.

Ben Johnson was sensationally stripped of his 100 metres gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympics after testing positive for the banned steroid stanozolol.

Edwards tested positive for the stimulant nikethamide in April which could make her ineligible for next month's Athens Games.

"We're still trying to escape the ghost of Ben Johnson unfortunately," Johnson, ex-Olympic 110 metres hurdle champion, said on Saturday.

"We're all treated like we're cheaters first and it's up to us prove that we're not cheaters. It's definitely a case of guilty until proven innocent."

Edwards contends she was given glucose tablets by her physical therapist, who did not know they contained the drug.

The case has now been referred to the IAAF, the world governing body of athletics, who are reviewing the case after a US arbitration panel determined there may be exceptional circumstances for the positive test.

"It's been hard for Torri because she's being portrayed as someone who cheated and she wasn't. She was not cheating and I know that for a fact," said Johnson.

"I admire her courage to go out there and just tell the truth. It's been bothering her a lot the whole time (since) she found out in May.

"It's had a negative affect on her because she's had to deal with the IAAF, USADA and with just the whole uncertainty of what's going to happen to her."

He added: "It's hard to get ready when you don't know if what you're training for is actually nothing. She's handling it the best she can be expected to handle it."

On Saturday it emerged Edwards, who has denied knowingly taking drugs, could still compete in next month's Games.

IAAF general secretary Istvan Gyulai said in Paris that if its Doping Review Board accepted Edwards's contention that she had ingested the substance inadvertently, she could be cleared to compete in Athens.

The 27-year-old inherited the world 100 metres title earlier this year when US compatriot Kelli White admitted taking several performance-enhancing drugs.

Gyulai said nikethamide was regarded as a serious stimulant by the World Anti-Doping Agency and would result in an automatic two-year ban for any athletes testing positive.

Edwards can still appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne if the IAAF does not rule in her favour.

Johnson believes the USADA needs to be reformed so it can help athletes avoid accidentally taking banned substances in supplements.

Johnson, who won gold in the 110 metres hurdles at the 1996 Atlanta Games, criticized USADA for the way it was investigating triple Olympic gold medallist Marion Jones.

Fellow American Jones, who has since been accused of using drugs at the 2000 Sydney Games by her ex-husband C.J. Hunter, has adamantly denied ever using banned substances.

"I think USADA is an organization we do need but at the same time I think there are some changes that can be made to make it better," Johnson said on Saturday.

"There can be more information given out to athletes (like) what's on the banned list. I think fans and a lot of USADA administrative people would be shocked to know how little athletes really know.

"The interaction between USADA and the athletes is they come and take your urine and they analyze it and that's the interaction.

"Athletes cannot go to USADA and say 'Hey, I have these vitamins here and can you check them out for me to make sure they are not contaminated. They will not do that. USADA does not want to be responsible for anything except analyzing urine."

Several California newspapers have reported that former shot putter Hunter, who was himself banned for using steroids and who was divorced from Jones in 2002, made his allegations to federal investigators probing the BALCO steroids scandal.

But Johnson said: "These days you don't know what to believe. I don't know if CJ's telling the truth, I don't know if he's lying. The only thing I know is she (Jones) has never failed a test. So if she's never failed a test what do you do?"

"I think too much attention is being put on it. The scandal with BALCO is a major story but the sport is going to move on."

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