Tainted Glory: Doping Scandals That Cast a Dark Shadow on Athletes and Sporting Events

Sep 18, 2023

By: Sagarika C

1. Tom Simpson's tragic Tour de France (1967)

Throughout the history of sports, the pursuit of greatness has sometimes led athletes and teams down a dark path of doping. In their quest to enhance performance and gain a competitive edge, sportspersons often end up using banned substances. Here are nine dop...

2. East Germany's state-sponsored doping (1970s & '80s)

The tragic demise of British cyclist Tom Simpson during the Tour de France shed light on the perils associated with performance-enhancing drugs. His autopsy uncovered the presence of amphetamines, and played a key role in a ban on their use by cyclists. The re...

3. Ben Johnson's tainted glory (1988)

The East German government's stringent policy of mandating steroid use among its athletes achieved unprecedented success in the Olympics, as they consistently dominated the medal podiums, leaving the world in awe with extraordinary performances. However, ...

4. Maradona's World Cup exit (1994)

The momentous victory achieved by Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson at the 1988 Olympics was quickly marred by controversy when he tested positive for steroid use. Revelations following his tests also exposed the widespread doping among athletes. According to Cele...

5. Festina cycling team's scandal (1998)

Diego Maradona, the Argentinian soccer legend, had his fair share of glory and controversies during and after his career. In 1994, he faced expulsion from the World Cup due to his use of ephedrine, underscoring the dire consequences of doping in football. Acco...

6. The BALCO scandal (2003)

The Festina cycling team's doping scandal during the Tour de France sent shockwaves through the world of sports, with the discovery of amphetamines, erythropoietin, and steroids in their possession. The revelation led to the arrests of key team members an...

7. Lance Armstrong's fall from grace (2012)

The emergence of the designer steroid THG at the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO) laid bare the involvement of numerous athletes, with prominent figures such as Marion Jones and Barry Bonds coming under scrutiny. This revelation exposed the widespread ...

6. The Biogenesis scandal (2013)

Lance Armstrong, the American professional cyclist, author, and public speaker, inspiring the world with his fight against cancer, fell from grace when he admitted to the use of performance-enhancing drugs. This led to him being stripped of seven Tour de Franc...

9. Russia's state-backed doping (2014-2022)

The Biogenesis scandal, marked a dark chapter in Major League Baseball's history, by shedding light on the rampant use of performance-enhancing drugs among players. This shocking revelation resulted in suspensions handed down to numerous athletes, tarnish...