Doping Scandals and Hidden Positive Drug Tests That Have Impacted the Olympic Games

1984 Shredding Scandal

The 1984 Los Angeles Olympics ended with a scandal that resulted in 9positive doping tests not being reported. Officials reportedly shredded documents that linked athletes to their urine sample numbers to protect certain athletes and the overall image of the Games from high profile doping violations. BSCG Co-founder Dr. Don Catlin did the drug testing in Los Angeles and for a decade he didn’t know what happened to the results. This incident underscored the need for transparent and honest reporting in sports. The lengths to which some officials went to preserve the image of the Games demonstrated the critical need for independent bodies to oversee anti-doping efforts and reporting of results. Overall 12 positive drug tests were reported with 2 silver medals stripped.

1988 – The Ben Johnson Debacle

The 1988 Seoul Olympics featured one of history's most infamous doping cases. Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson tested positive for an anabolic steroid stanozololafter winning the 100-meter dash in record time. Johnson claims everyone in the race was juiced. This event became known as the dirtiest race in history. Johnson's swift and dramatic fall from grace resulted in him being stripped of his gold medal, forever tarnishing his achievements. This 100m sprint cast a long shadow over the Games and highlighted the pervasive nature of doping in sports.Johnson’s high profile positive overshadowed the fact that behind the scenes the Russians had a secret lab on a boatRussians had a secret lab on a boattopretest athletes to ensure they wouldn’t test positive during the Games. Overall 10 positive drug tests were reported with 3 gold and two silver medals stripped.

1996 - Atlanta’s Hidden Positives

At the1996 Atlanta Olympics new high resolution mass spectrometers (HRMS) were deployed for the first time that had improved sensitivity and could detect drug use for a longer period of time. During the Games 5 drug tests were reportedly thrown out by the IOC due to concerns that the cases wouldn’t stand up in court because they used the new HRMS analytical technology. The lack of will power on behalf of the political authorities that controlled anti-doping at the time is an example of politicalinfluence steering the anti-doping process instead of science. It highlighted weaknesses in the anti-doping infrastructure at the time, and foreshadowed the coming independence of the anti-doping movement that started with the founding of the World Anti-Doping Agency in 1999. Overall there were 7 positive drug tests reported with no medals impacted. When asked about the relatively few number of positives BSCG Co-founder Dr. Don Catlin who was in charge of steroid testing in Atlanta noted, “The sophisticated athlete who wants to take drugshas switched to things we can't test for."

2002 - Salt Lake City’s Secret DarbepoetinTest

In 2002, the secret release of a test for the blood boosting agent and anemia drug Darbepoetinresulted in cross-country ski legend Johann Muhlegg losing three gold medals in the biggest Olympic doping scandal since 1998 that rocked the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.Darbepoietin, also known as NESP, was not actually named on the WADA Prohibited List at the time but it was included under “erythropoietin and similar substances.” This time, BSCG Co-founder Dr. Don Catlin, who employed the new test for the first time at the drug testing lab he setup in Salt Lake, had worked with IOC President Jacques Rogge to ensure results would be accepted and acted upon. A book called The Night Olympic Team was published outlining the work of the lab in Salt Lake to detect the new drug. This marked a significant milestone in anti-doping efforts demonstrating the importance of developing new testing methods to stay ahead of those seeking to cheat and the power of the anti-doping system when properly supported and unencumbered by political or other outside influence. Overall there were 10 positive drug tests reported with 5 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze medal stripped, the most at any Winter Olympics other than Sochi.

2012 - London’s Retroactive Positives

The 2012 London Olympics were initially celebrated for their cleanliness, but retrospective testing using a new test that could detect long term metabolites of steroids including oral turinabolrevealed a rash of hidden positive drug tests.In the end,there were 132 positives reported from the London Games more than any Olympics since drug testing started in 1968. The delayed results showed that although some athletes managed to evade detection during the Games advancement in drug testing methods and the allowance of retrospective testing ultimately identified the dopers and removed them from the record books. The retroactive nature of these findings underscored the importance of ongoing vigilance and the need to store and retest samples as new technologies emerge. This scandal reinforced the idea that the fight against doping is a continuingbattle that requires constant innovation and commitment.Overall there were 132 positive drug tests reported from the London Olympics with 13 gold,17 silver, and 11 bronze medals stripped.

2014 - Sochi’s Enduring Impact

Thanks to the largest and most egregious doping scandal ever seen at the Olympic Games the 2014 Sochi Olympics have had a lasting impact on international sport. The Russian state-sponsored doping program in Sochi involved urine samples from doped athletes being passed through walls to a hidden room to be switched out for clean urine by secret agents that then reinserted the clean samples into the testing process. This led to a reported15 Russian gold medals coming from doped athletes that were never caught. The story, which was told in Icarus and starred BSCG Co-founder Dr Don Catlin, won the Oscar for best documentary in 2018. Ultimately the Sochi scandal led to a ban on the Russian flag at international competitions including the Olympics for 4 years. Sadly, a host of Russian athletes from around the globe who were not involved were also shamed by this scandal. The Sochi scandal has affected global sports for more than a decade illustrating the extensive reach doping can have. The revelations from Sochi highlighted the systematic nature of doping within some countries and the challenges faced by international bodies and anti-doping agencies in ensuring fair competition. Overall there were 55 positive drug tests reported from the Sochi Olympics with 8 gold, 12 silver, 1 bronze medal stripped.

2021 - Tokyo’s Hidden Gold Medalists

The Tokyo 2021 Olympics, and 2024 Paris Olympics,have been marred thanks to recent reports that 23 Chinese swimmers including three gold medalists tested positive for trimetazidine before Tokyo, but a Chinese investigation determined contamination was the cause and the positives were excused and never reported.Three of them won gold medals. In Paris, 11 of the Chinese swimmers will be competing again. The secrecy behind these cases has raised questions about the integrity and the overall effectiveness and independence of current anti-doping measures. The decision to withhold these positive tests from the public eye damaged trust in the Olympic movement and highlighted the need for greater transparency and accountability. BSCG Co-founder and President has outlined some proposed solutions in his review of the situation. This incident reminded us that despite advancements in anti-doping the battle for clean sport is far from over.Overall there were 9 positive drug tests reported in Tokyo.

2022–Beijing Skating Controversy Overshadows the Games

The 2022 Beijing Olympics had barely started when a doping scandal involving Russian skater Kamila Valieva took over the Games. The then 15-year old phenom had shocked the world with her quads leading Russia to the gold medal in the team event. Just before the medal ceremony it was reported that she had tested positive for trimetazidine at the Russian National Championships before the Olympics on December 25, 2021. On January 29, 2024 after more than 700 days,Valieva was finally found guilty of a doping violation and was given a 4 year sanction invalidating her results from the Beijing Olympics and taking the gold away from Russia. Russia was still awarded the bronze medal extending the controversy further. Overall 4 positive drug tests were reported during the 2022 Beijing Games.

2024 - Paris: A Pre-polluted Pool

Sadly, as we watch the 2024 Paris Olympics unfoldthe recent announcements have already tainted the water in the pool. The disclosure of the secret Chinese doping cases before Tokyo threatens to overshadow the spirit of fair competition the Olympics strive to embody. Theretroactive revelations serve as a warning that the fight against doping must continue to evolve,adapt and persevere. The Olympic size argument between the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency CEO Travis Tygart and WADA over the Chinese snafu has taken center stage with the IOC cautioning that USADA must respect the “supreme authority” of WADA in the announcement of the awarding of the 2034 Winter Olympic Games to Salt Lake City.

Overall in the course of more than 54 years and 29 Olympic Games there have been 446 positive drug tests reported resulting in 173 medals being stripped; 57 gold, 66 silver, and 50 bronze. These statistics show the impact of doping, and anti-doping, on the Games.Time will tell how many positive drug tests will be reported at the 2024 Paris Olympics or whether any medals will be stripped. We might need to wait a decade to discover the real truth if new substances are considered and retroactive testing conducted.Antihypoxant drugs like mexidol or cytoflavin that are related to trimetazidine, or meldonium, but are not currently prohibited are likely being used today as ergogenic aids. These are thedrugs on the edge of performance enhancement.

The Critical Role of BSCG in Protect Against Inadvertent Positives

A recent compilation of surveysfocused on dietary supplement contamination found that 28% of the 3,132 products evaluated had the potential to cause an inadvertent positive drug test. This reality highlights the critical role BSCG third-party certification for banned substances plays in protecting athletes and sport from this very real concern. It is estimated that anywhere from 10-50% of positive drug tests may be inadvertentThe BSCG Certified Drug Free program tests for an industry leading 507 banned substances, more than any other provider. This ensures athletes can compete safely with the peace of mind knowing their supplements are clean. Doping is a permanent scar that an athlete, or a supplement brand, may get inadvertently if they don’t ensure the safety of their supplement products with third-party certification. Don’t become a statistic, become part of the solution.