Steroid News
News bot on steroids
Pharaoh Ben Johnson dusts off steroid saboteur story
'Truth' isn't the only thing that's out there in coming book by reincarnated sprinter and disgraced Olympian
By JOHN LEICESTER, Associated Press October 28, 2010
Trouble is, the story of the supposed steroid saboteur that Johnson is selling isn't at all new.
Johnson's entourage trotted out that excuse at Seoul in 1988, when Johnson's positive test for the banned steroid stanozolol stunned the world and forever tainted our view of sports people and the depths some of them stoop to for victory.
His agent at the time, Larry Heidebrecht, said a mysterious stranger who gave Johnson a mysterious drink with a bad-smelling "yellow gooey substance" at the bottom.
And Johnson's coach, Charlie Francis, told a Canadian judicial inquiry about a tall and dark-skinned American who sat next to Johnson in the doping control room at Seoul's Jamsil Olympic Stadium.
"The drink was on the floor and this guy was beside the drink," Francis testified back in 1989. "Ben said: 'I knew there was something wrong with that guy. ... He had no purpose to be there."'
Ah, yes, says Johnson, but the difference now is that he has a "confession."
From who?
"The person that done it," Johnson tells me in a subsequent phone interview with him and Farnum together. "I can't say too much right now."
Pressed for details, Johnson suggests that the saboteur was paid off by "sponsors" whom Johnson won't name, at least not yet.
"He (the mystery man) says that he has to put food on his table and the money was right, so he had to do whatever he do to make a living.
"All detailed in the book," Johnson adds.
Curious indeed.
In a followup call, I leaned on Johnson again for a name. Eventually, reluctantly, he confirmed one: Andre Jackson.
Into Google it went. The Internet search engine coughed up a Dr. Andre Action Diakite Jackson, a diamond industry executive and businessman
seemingly based in Africa.
Could this be the guy?
Read more:
Pharaoh Ben Johnson dusts off steroid saboteur story
'Truth' isn't the only thing that's out there in coming book by reincarnated sprinter and disgraced Olympian
By JOHN LEICESTER, Associated Press October 28, 2010
Trouble is, the story of the supposed steroid saboteur that Johnson is selling isn't at all new.
Johnson's entourage trotted out that excuse at Seoul in 1988, when Johnson's positive test for the banned steroid stanozolol stunned the world and forever tainted our view of sports people and the depths some of them stoop to for victory.
His agent at the time, Larry Heidebrecht, said a mysterious stranger who gave Johnson a mysterious drink with a bad-smelling "yellow gooey substance" at the bottom.
And Johnson's coach, Charlie Francis, told a Canadian judicial inquiry about a tall and dark-skinned American who sat next to Johnson in the doping control room at Seoul's Jamsil Olympic Stadium.
"The drink was on the floor and this guy was beside the drink," Francis testified back in 1989. "Ben said: 'I knew there was something wrong with that guy. ... He had no purpose to be there."'
Ah, yes, says Johnson, but the difference now is that he has a "confession."
From who?
"The person that done it," Johnson tells me in a subsequent phone interview with him and Farnum together. "I can't say too much right now."
Pressed for details, Johnson suggests that the saboteur was paid off by "sponsors" whom Johnson won't name, at least not yet.
"He (the mystery man) says that he has to put food on his table and the money was right, so he had to do whatever he do to make a living.
"All detailed in the book," Johnson adds.
Curious indeed.
In a followup call, I leaned on Johnson again for a name. Eventually, reluctantly, he confirmed one: Andre Jackson.
Into Google it went. The Internet search engine coughed up a Dr. Andre Action Diakite Jackson, a diamond industry executive and businessman
seemingly based in Africa.
Could this be the guy?
Read more:
Pharaoh Ben Johnson dusts off steroid saboteur story
