CHEATING THE WORLD

The sports world has its own doping hall of shame. Cheating in the Olympics, world championships, Tour de France and other sports has led to a stunning fall from grace for some of the world’s biggest stars. HT takes a look at some of the major doping scan

BEN JOHNSON

Still considered arguably the biggest scandal of the modern era, the Canadian sprinter was stripped of his gold medal in the 100 meters at the 1988 Seoul Olympics after storming to victory in a world record time of 9.79 seconds. Johnson was busted after testing positive for the steroid stanozolol

SHANE WARNE

The Aussie leg-spin legend tested positive for banned diuretic, which was announced a day before the start of the 2003 World Cup. Warne was sent home in disgrace. Warne made a preposterous claim that he took only one of what he called a ‘fluid tablet’ – the prescription drug Moduretic — given to him by his mother!

MARION JONES

Winner of five medals — including three gold — at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. She repeatedly denied doping despite positive tests. But, in 2007, she admitted lying to federal agents about her use of performance-enhancing drugs before the Sydney Games and pleaded guilty in court. She spent six months in jail

DIEGO MARADONA

The football great was good enough to make the Argentine team for the 1994 World Cup, despite being found guilty of firing an air rifle at journalists outside his home. That tournament would prove to be his last at an international level, however, as he tested positive for ephedrine and was expelled

LANCE ARMSTRONG

Doping allegations dogged Armstrong for years as he dominated the Tour de France, winning the race from 1999-2005. After a damning US Anti-Doping Agency report detailed doping by Armstrong and his teams, he later confessed to doping in a TV interview. He was banned for life and stripped of all his titles