1. Marion Jones

Marion Jones courtesy of PhotoRun.net

The 35-year old sprinter from Los Angeles won five medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, three gold and two bronze, becoming the American media darling of those Olympic games. But those medals were taken away after Jones admitted to taking steroids before the 2000 Olympic games, then lying to federal agents about her drug use. She was sentenced to and served six months in jail and a two-year suspension from competing in track and field. She retired from track and field in 2007, served her jail term in the middle of 2008 and traded track for basketball. She is currently a guard for Oklahoma’s WNBA team, Tulsa Shock.

2. Ben Johnson
The Jamaican-born Canadian became the pride of Canada in the mid-1980s after setting world records in the 60m and 100m sprints, often lining up next to Carl Lewis in the 100 meter event. After Johnson beat Lewis and set a new world record at the 1987 world championships in Rome, Lewis cried foul play. At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Johnson tested positive for steroids. He also admitted to using the drug before he set his 1987 world record. He was stripped of both medals and suspended from competing for two years. An attempt at a comeback in the early ‘90s was unremarkable, and Johnson tested positive for drugs again in 1999.

3. Justin Gatlin

Justin Gatlin courtesy of PhotoRun.net

The 29-year old’s drug history started early. In 2001, he was banned from competition for two years after testing positive for amphetamines, but he appealed the decision, claiming that drug showed up in tests because of medication he had been on for attention deficit disorder since he was a kid. Gatlin won gold in the 100m sprint at the 2004 Summer Olympics, clocking in at 9.85 seconds. He also won bronze in the 200m and silver as a part of the 4x100m relay. In 2005, he won the 100m at the World Championships in Helsinki by the widest margin ever seen at that event. In 2006, he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and was sentenced in late 2007 to a four-year ban from athletics. He began competing again in 2010 with unremarkable results and can be seen regularly on SpikeTV’s reality show Pros vs. Joes.

4. Kelli White
The 34-year old sprinter from Oakland, Calif. won gold medals in the 100m and 200m events at the 2003 Paris World Championships. In 2004, her medals were taken away for testing positive for steroids, and she was banned from competition for two years. Like Marion Jones, White’s doping linked her to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO) scandal that implicated dozens of top US athletes in taking steroids, including fellow sprinters Marion Jones and Regina Jacobs, and baseball player Barry Bonds. White retired in 2006.

5. Regina Jacobs
The first middle-distance runner on the list! The former Stanford University runner from Los Angeles, now 47, represented the US at three summer Olympic games in 1988, 1992 and 1996, set the indoor world record in the 1500m and won 24 US championships in distances from the 800m to the 3000m. In 2003, she tested positive for using one of BALCO’s steroids and was suspended from competition for four years. She retired during that time and has since become a real estate agent in Oakland, Calif. Her silver medals in the 1500m from the 1997 and 1999 world championships were not taken away.

6. Rashid Ramzi

Rashid Ramzi courtesy of PhotoRun.net

The 30-year old Moroccan won both the 800m and 1500m events at the 2005 World Championships, becoming the first person to win both events at the competition. Running for Bahrain at the 2008 Summer Olympics, Ramzi took home gold in the 1500m—the first Olympic medal Bahrain had ever won. But that medal was taken away after Ramzi tested positive for an advanced version of the red cell boosting drug EPO. His two-year ban from competition ended on May 2^nd.

7. Eddy Hellebuyck

Eddy Hellebuyck courtesy of PhotoRun.net

This 49-year old is the only Olympic-caliber marathoner from the US to have been found guilty of doping. In February of 2004, he ran a personal best of 2:15:36 at the Olympic trials in Birmingham, Ala. (Alan Culpepper won in 2:11:42; Hellebuyck didn’t make the team.) That same year, he tested positive for EPO in an out-of-competition test administered while he was preparing for the Olympic marathon trials. He was suspended from the sport for two years, but vehemently denied any wrongdoing during the suspension. During a 2010 interview with Runner’s World, Hellebuyck, who now coaches cross country and track teams in Tucson, Ariz., finally admitted to doping.

8. Mary Decker Slaney
Early on, New Jersey native Mary Decker was a running sensation. At just 14 years old, “Little Mary Decker” won the 800m event at a US-Soviet meet. By the age of 16 in 1974, she held the world record in the 1000m and 800m events. She suffered from compartment syndrome throughout 1975, but made a strong comeback in the ‘80s, setting six world records in 1982 in distances from the mile to 10,000m. She was heavily rewarded, recognized as the top amateur athlete in the US in 1982, and Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year in 1983. It wasn’t until 1996, at the age of 37, that Decker Slaney (she married British discus thrower Richard Slaney in 1985) got into doping trouble. She qualified for the 5000m at the Atlanta Olympics, but a drug test at the Olympic trials came up positive for testosterone. She was banned from competition in 1997. She fought the IAAF and the US Olympic committee, claiming the test was flawed and could’ve produced a false positive due to the use of birth control pills, but the ban was upheld. She’s currently retired and lives in Oregon.

9. Leonid Shvetsov
This two-time Olympian, Russian national record holder in the marathon and course record holder in the famous Comrades Ultramathon, was accused by none other than Hellebuyck (see #7) of using EPO. Not only of using the drug, but of supplying it to other marathoners training in Albuquerque for the ’96 Olympics. Shvetsov, who retired in 2009, denies any wrongdoing. He currently coaches Russian distance runners and operates an auto service business in Russia, Runner’s World South Africa reports.

10. Ma’s Army
In 1993, a Chinese squad of female runners coached by Ma Junren won six of a possible nine medals at the world championships in Stuttgart. Shortly thereafter, one of Ma’s runners took a 41.9 second chunk out of the 10,000m world record, though she ranked only 56^th in the event a year earlier. Skeptics cried steroids, but before drug use could be verified, Ma’s runners mutinied, sick of his masochistic workouts and lifestyle demands. China withdrew six of Ma’s runners (in addition to 21 other members of China’s Olympic team) from the 2000 Sydney Olympics before they could compete, presumably because China feared the athletes would test positive for EPO.

Nick Willis edges out training partner Will Leer at a benefit track meet in Wellington, New Zealand. Photo: Stuff.Co.Nz

Until he got caught doping, the medal had belonged to Rashid Ramzi.

It had taken New Zealand middle-distance specialist Nick Willis nearly three years to get his Olympic silver medal, and on Saturday night, the tears flowed down his cheeks. Willis, originally the bronze medalist in the 1500m event in Beijing, was given the silver due to the disqualification of Rashid Ramzi who failed a drug test.

However, medals aside, it was an especially emotional evening for Willis. Earlier in the week, the New Zealand city of Christchurch suffered a devastating earthquake that left hundreds dead and injured. Willis had helped organize a track meet to raise money for the earthquake’s victims.

At the meet, held at Wellington’s Newtown Park, Willis won the men’s mile in 3:58.37, with his American training partners Will Leer and Brandon Bethke acting as pacemakers.

“They saw how emotional it was [receiving my medal] and they said, `Nick, we’ll take it for you, we’ll make sure you get your sub-four [minute mile]‘,” recalled Willis referring to Leer and Bethke. “I felt terrible down the back straight but they took the wind for me.”

For More: Stuff.Co.Nz

According to an article from the IAAF, one of New Zealand’s biggest track stars, Nick Willis, is behind an effort to raise money for the victims of this week’s devestating earthquake that struck Christchurch, New Zealand.

The 6.2-magnitude earthquake is responsible for the deaths of at least 65 people.

Willis, a 1500m silver medalist in the 2008 Summer Olympics, says plans are underway to put together a fundraising track event in the city of Wellington. This announcement comes on the heels of the cancellation of the International Track Meet that was supposed to take place in Christchurch this weekend. American runners Galen Rupp and Alan Webb were expected to compete there.

The fundraising meet is to take place on February 26. At that event, Willis will be presented with the Olympic silver medal. He originally won the bronze medal in the Olympics, but Rashid Ramzi (who placed second in the 1500m final) was stripped of his medal due to doping violations.

For More: IAAF

Nick Willis will receive the Olympic silver medal later this month. Photo: PhotoRun.net

He will be awarded the medal by his boyhood hero.

On February 26, New Zealand middle-distance specialist Nick Willis will be awarded with the 2008 Olympic silver medal in the 1,500m event. The medal had previously been awarded to Rashid Ramzi. However, he was disqualified for a doping violation. Willis had placed third in the Olympic final.

Willis will be presented with the medal by another famous New Zealand runner: Sir John Walker. Walker had won the 1,500m gold medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. He was also the previous owner of the world record in the mile and the first person to run 100 sub-4:00 miles.

“It’s great to see a Kiwi like Nick doing so well and I’m delighted to be part of what will be a very proud moment for him, his family and all New Zealanders,” said Walker.

Willis calls his award by Walker, his boyhood hero, a “a great, great honor”.

He is planning to represent his country at the 2012 Olympics in London.

For More: Voxy.co.nz

The 2008 Olympic 1500m gold medalist, Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain, has officially been stripped of his title by the International Olympic Committee. Following his victory in Beijing, the former Moroccan citizen tested positive for a drug called CERA. The drug is a high powered blood doping agent, which will increase the red blood cell count in the athlete to levels deemed illegal by the World Doping Agency.

Ramzi was one of five athletes that tested positive for CERA at the Beijing games. Other athletes that were officially disqualified include Itallian cyclist Davide Rebellin, German cyclist Stefan Schumacher, Croatian 800-meter runner Vanja Perisic and Greek race walker Athanasia Tsoumeleka. Rebellin was the only other athlete who earned, and will be stripped of, a medal, after his second place finish in the road race discipline of cycling.

For More: USA Today

Tyson Gay after he tied his 100m PR of 9.77. Photo: Victah Sailer

Time to digest the weekend’s running news.

The ÅF Golden League is half-way complete and the buzz leading up to the IAAF World Track and Field Championships is growing.  Although the news should be focused on the great times being put up this summer, it is hard to avoid a story involving another Olympic gold medalist getting busted for drugs.

Rashid Ramzi Positive B Test

1500m Olympic gold medalist Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain was hoping his B test would come back negative, otherwise he would lose his Olympic medal.  When the dust settled the Olympic champion learned that he would need to relinquish his title, as the second blood test came back positive for banned substance CERA.  Witih this, the IOC will surely name runner-up Asbel Kiprop of Kenya the gold medalist, Nick Willis of New Zealand the silver medalist and Mehdi Bala of France the new bronze medalist.

For More: Bahrain official: Ramzi’s backup sample positive

Defar Sets 10,000m PR

Mesert Defar proved she isn’t the only Ethiopian woman ready to run a sub-30:00 10,000m, as she clocked a PR 29:59.20 in Birmingham, England this weekend.  The former 5000m world champion joined countrywoman Meselech Melkamu as the second Ethiopian woman this year to break 30:00 in the 10,000m.  Melkamu posted the second fastest time in history with her 29:53.80 performance earlier this year in Utrecht, Czech Republic.

For More: Defar clocks 29:59.20 in Birmingham to secure Berlin ticket

Tyson Gay Decides Not To Face Bolt

Although he will be at the London Grand Prix, Tyson Gay will not race Usain Bolt in the 100m.  Gay will take to the track in the 200m and Bolt will be competing in the 100m and 4X100m.  In usual sprint star fashion, the top two athletes will purposely avoid each other leading up to the world championships in Berlin.  Gay has sighted the fact that he needs to tune up in the 200m as the reason why he will not compete in the 100m event.

For More: Tyson Gay to compete at London Grand Prix but not against Usain Bolt

Olympic years are the one time for Track and Field Athletes in America to shine and earn sponsorships to prepare for the next 4 year Olympic cycle, but amid a hostile economic environment and positive drug tests, times could not be worse.  A sport that is already thought of as second-tier in America will be one of the first to lose sponsorships.  Reading reports such as the huge drop in earning for adidas, can spell disaster for Olympic hopefuls and their already small income.  To make matters worse, three 2008 Olympic track athletes, thankfully none from the US, have tested positive for the banned blood doping substance CERA.  2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Dee Dee Trotter commented to the associated press on this very issue:

Honestly, track and field didn’t need another blow like this.  Our reputation is truly depleting and it doesn’t help when fans who have long loved the sport begin to doubt what they see.

Programs such as Trotter’s Test Me I’m Clean, are working to change the tide and bring prestige back to her sport.

For More:  Sports and Drugs:  A big negative for track

For More:  Inside Track:   Economy taking toll on runners

Bahrain’s first Olympic Gold Medalist tests positive for CERA.

Rashid Ramzi Setting American Soil 1500m Record. / Photo. Michael Atwood

Rashid Ramzi became the first ever Bahrani Gold Medalist in Beijing, but that is all about to change.  It has been confirmed that Ramzi has tested positive for a banned substance, CERA, following his efforts at the Olympics this summer. CERA is a blood doping substance that increases the number of red-blood cells.

With this news, pending the inevitable appeals by Ramzi, Silver Medalist Asbel Kipruto Kiprop of Kenya will become the Gold Medalist, Bronze Medalist Nick Willis of New Zealand will become the Silver Medalist, and Fourth Place finisher Mehdi Baala of France will become the Bronze Medalist.

Along with Ramzi, Greek race walker Athanasia Tsoumeleka and Croatian 800-meter runner Vanja Perisic were also found having taken the same banned substance in Beijing.  Tsoumeleka placed Ninth in the 20k race walk and Perisic did not make it out of the first round of the 800-meter heats.

Link to news report: Bahrain Olympic champion Rashid Ramzi in positive drugs test