The 1988 Seoul Olympics 100m Final Was Called the Dirtiest Race Ever

The 1988 Olympic 100m final in Seoul was billed as the race to decide the fastest man on earth. Canadian Ben Johnson defeated American Carl Lewis in a world record time of 9.79 seconds. But just three days later, Johnson tested positive for the steroid stanozolol and was stripped of his gold medal. The scandal rocked the sports world, but the full extent of doping in that race only became clear later. Of the eight finalists in that historic race, six would eventually be linked to doping during their careers. Carl Lewis himself had tested positive for banned stimulants at the US Olympic trials, though he was cleared on a technicality. The race became known as the Dirtiest Race in History, a stark reminder of how pervasive doping was in track and field during that era.