Johnson Record Tied to Drugs

TORONTO —  Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson used steroids in preparation for the 1987 world track and field championships in Rome, where he set a world record that still stands, his coach told a federal inquiry today.

Francis also said that Johnson was concerned in January, 1987, that he might not pass a drug test in Japan after setting a world indoor record in the 60-meter dash. He did pass the test, however.

The government inquiry into drug use in sport was called after the Jamaican-born Johnson was stripped of his Olympic 100 meters gold medal in Seoul after testing positive for steroids last September, the first time Johnson had tested positive for the drug.

Testifying under oath for a third day, Canadian track coach Charlie Francis said he began injecting Johnson with bulk-building anabolic steroids in 1986.

He said Wednesday that Johnson and other members of the Canadian team had used steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs since 1981.

“And was Johnson on a steroid program in June and July, 1987?” inquiry lawyer Robert Armstrong asked Francis.

“Yes, he was,” Francis said. “Ben received only furazabol at that time. He got the injections from me at my apartment. Two shots per week over a period of two weeks.”

On August 30, 1987, Johnson set a world record for 100 meters of 9.83 seconds at the world championships.

Johnson has denied that he knowingly took steroids before beating his great rival, American Carl Lewis, to the finish in world record time at Seoul. The anabolic steroid Stanozolol was found in Johnson’s urine, and he was subsequently stripped of the gold medal.

Francis testified later that he received a telephone call from a nervous Johnson after he had run the 60 meters in a world record 6.44 seconds at an indoor meet in Japan.

“Ben called me and said he had just broken the record and they were demanding a drug test,” said Francis.

“Ben wanted to be sure he would pass the test and I assured him he would.”