Johnson won
the race of the century at the Seoul Games in World Record Time only to test
positive and be stripped of the medal and obviously, the World Record.
Johnson
immediately denied using banned substances but subsequently confessed, including his World
Record Time set the previous year (1987) at the World Championships was also
achieved with the assistance of performance enhancing drugs.
He cheated,
no question and he admitted it and to more than perhaps he needed to. The majority
of athletes caught for taking drugs continue to deny the undeniable.
The advertisement
appeared a few days ago and my first reaction was it was someone pretending to
be Johnson. On subsequent viewings, I realised it was actually him.
Obviously
Sportsbet meant it to be amusing. Johnson was pretty much poking fun at himself.
I was a little uncomfortable with it but landed on a belief that he has done
the crime and served his time and is free to accept whatever legal work is
offered him.
There are
many athletes suspended for cheating and then allowed back to compete at the
highest level, even winning Olympic Gold Medals. Alexander Vinokourov is one
example that immediately comes to mind
One of our
Rugby League programs has as one of its ‘stars” a former player caught for
using an (illegal) recreational drug. He served his suspension and returned successfully
to competition. A co-star on the same program has admitted to drug use during
his playing days however was never caught. Both regularly appear in advertisements.
Tyler
Hamilton tested positive and was allowed back to competition. He subsequently
tested positive for a second time. However, he has written a highly successful book
and his story is made more interesting (and increased sales) due in a large
part to his indiscretions. He has since been held up as a highly credible
witness in the case against former team mate, and fellow doper, Lance
Armstrong.
The advertisement
featuring Ben Johnson has been pulled from the air following a large number of
viewer complaints (150 allegedly) *.
However, the publicity the campaign attracted and the subsequent withdrawal has ensured it all became a main stream news story, even
achieving exposure via international news sites.
I am
guessing Sportstbet are laughing all the way to the bank. Being a quite simple
production, it would not have cost a great deal. They reportedly paid Johnson
$200,000 for his appearance. Given all the free exposure and the many hits the add
has achieved on YouTube , they must be thrilled with the return on investment.
I doubt
current users of their service will look elsewhere and I am sure many new users
have been attracted to a betting agency they may have been only mildly aware
of.
Sportsbet should
thank the Politicians, Journalists, Broadcasters and Opinion Setters for making
such a fuss – perhaps a fuss about nothing.
I should note
that Ben Johnson returned to competition after serving his ban and again tested positive
for banned substances, just as Tyler Hamilton did.
*as reported on Melbourne radio station 3AW on 19 May 2017.
Other reports refer to a substantial number of complaints without specifying a
number
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