Life Bans for drug cheats says Johnson

Photo: Michael Johnson (Getty Images)

Former USA athlete and 400m world record holder Michael Johnson has once again called for the governing authorities to increased the punishment for athletes who end up on the wrong side of the law, as it relates to banned drug use.

The four times Olympic champion first came out swinging in October 2011, prior to the London 2012 Olympic Games in an interview with the BBC sports saying that athletes who fail a drugs test should be banned from the next Olympic Games. He was quoted as saying “I’m not sure if a lifetime ban is actually fair. But it would be more of a deterrent for people if they see that an athlete who cheats misses an Olympic Games.”

Fast forward to 2014 and the former athlete has once again called for a more severe punishment for drug cheats.

Johnson said he believes the World Anti-Doping Agency must reconsider introducing life bans for convicted drugs cheats after stating that increased bans are the “primary deterrent” for athletes.

While speaking at the Nolan Partners Sport Industry Breakfast Club forum themed- The Michael Johnson Performance – a development programme which aims to fulfill the potential of elite athletes – has urged the anti-doping body to rethink their stance.

“I think that [life bans] is the primary deterrent for those people who decide to cheat,” the nine-time world champion said. “Not everyone is going to decide to cheat.

“The same people who play sports are the same people who belong in society; most people in sport are not going to cheat. There are those people who are going to cheat regardless and longer bans are a deterrent for those people.”

This is far from what Sir Craig Reedie, Wada president revealed earlier in July that life bans “would not be sustainable in law” but confirmed the organization would campaign to double the entry-level punishment from two to four years from January 2015.

Johnson making reference to a study done earlier this year, looking at the residual effects of drugs years after its usage in athletes said that he thinks that the relevant authorities don’t have to wait and see what the studies show, he added. “I think it is early days on that.That is the sort of research that needs to be done. If we want a level playing field then you’ve got find out as much as possible about the effects of doping on athletes and whether the effects may help an athlete you gain an advantage.”

Some of the sports top names that have served doping suspensions from the sports include the likes of Justin Gatlin, Asafa Powell, Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, Sherone Simpson,Tyson Gay, and Lashwan Merit. All of whom resumed their track and field career after their respective bans had ended.