On September 24, 1988, Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson won the Olympic 100 metres in Seoul in a world-record 9.79 seconds. Three days later he was stripped of the gold after testing positive for the anabolic steroid stanozolol. The scandal led to the Dubin Inquiry, a federal commission whose findings changed how Canada, and much of the world, polices drugs in sport.
- Johnson’s positive test was for stanozolol, the steroid sold as Winstrol.
- The Dubin Inquiry heard that steroid use was widespread in elite athletics.
- Its recommendations led to independent, out-of-competition drug testing in Canada.
For a few days in the fall of 1988, Ben Johnson was the most famous athlete in Canada. Millions watched him explode out of the blocks in Seoul and cross the line with his arm raised, well ahead of American rival Carl Lewis. What followed was one of the biggest scandals in Olympic history, and the most important moment in the story of steroids in Canadian sport.
The race
Johnson had already beaten Lewis at the 1987 World Championships in Rome, setting a world record of 9.83. Their rivalry was the headline event of the Seoul Games. In the final on September 24, Johnson ran 9.79, a new world record, with Lewis second in 9.92. For Canada it felt like a national triumph.
The positive test
Johnson’s post-race urine sample tested positive for stanozolol. The International Olympic Committee announced the result on September 27, stripped him of the gold medal and gave it to Lewis. Johnson flew home to a country in shock. At first he denied knowingly taking the drug. That changed months later under oath.
The Dubin Inquiry
Within weeks, the federal government created the Commission of Inquiry into the Use of Drugs and Banned Practices Intended to Increase Athletic Performance. It was led by Charles Dubin, Associate Chief Justice of Ontario, and became known simply as the Dubin Inquiry. Public hearings ran through much of 1989 and were broadcast across the country.
Johnson’s coach, Charlie Francis, testified that he had advised his athletes to use steroids because he believed their competitors were already using them and that clean athletes could not win. Johnson himself admitted in June 1989 that he had used anabolic steroids for years. Other athletes, coaches and doctors gave evidence about how drugs were obtained, how tests were avoided and how little oversight there was.
The inquiry turned one disqualification into a national conversation about what sport had become.
What the inquiry found
Dubin’s report, released in June 1990, concluded that the use of banned performance-enhancing drugs was widespread in many sports and that testing only at competitions was easy to beat. Athletes simply stopped using drugs in time to test clean. He criticized sport organizations for looking the other way and governments for funding sport based on medal counts.
| Problem identified | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Testing only at competitions | Unannounced, out-of-competition testing |
| Sports bodies policing themselves | An independent anti-doping agency |
| Funding tied only to medals | Ethics and athlete health built into sport funding |
| Little education for athletes and coaches | Education programs and consequences for support staff |
Johnson’s 1987 world record was also rescinded after his admissions. He returned to competition in 1991, but a second positive test in 1993 led to a lifetime ban from athletics.
The legacy in Canada
Canada acted on the report. An independent anti-doping body was created in the early 1990s, and in 1995 it became the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES), which still runs the Canadian Anti-Doping Program today. Out-of-competition testing became standard, athletes in testing pools now report their whereabouts, and coaches and doctors can be sanctioned along with athletes.
The ideas behind Dubin’s report also fed into the global movement that produced the World Anti-Doping Agency in 1999. WADA moved its headquarters to Montreal in 2002, so the agency that writes the global prohibited list is based in Canada.
- 1988: Johnson tests positive in Seoul.
- 1989: Dubin Inquiry hearings; Johnson admits steroid use.
- 1990: Dubin report calls for independent, out-of-competition testing.
- 1995: The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport is formed.
- 2002: WADA opens its headquarters in Montreal.
What it means today
For athletes in tested sport, the lesson is simple: anabolic steroids are banned at all times, testing happens without warning, and the burden is on the athlete. For everyone else, the story is a reminder that steroids work, which is exactly why they were used, but that they come with health risks and real consequences. Canadian law treats personal possession differently from supply, as our guide on whether it is legal to buy steroids in Canada explains, but sport rules are stricter than criminal law.
If you are curious how the substances themselves work, start with our guide to bulking and cutting steroids or the steroid harm reduction guide.
- Johnson tested positive for stanozolol after running 9.79 in Seoul.
- The Dubin Inquiry exposed widespread drug use and weak testing.
- Canada responded with independent, year-round testing through the CCES.
- WADA is now based in Montreal, part of the same legacy.
Frequently asked questions
What drug did Ben Johnson test positive for?
Stanozolol, an anabolic steroid also known by the brand name Winstrol. His sample was collected after the 100 metres final on September 24, 1988.
What was the Dubin Inquiry?
A federal commission led by Ontario Associate Chief Justice Charles Dubin that investigated drug use in Canadian sport from 1988 to 1990 and recommended independent, out-of-competition testing.
Who runs drug testing in Canadian sport today?
The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) runs the Canadian Anti-Doping Program and follows the World Anti-Doping Code.
Top photo: Austris Augusts, StockSnap (public domain).
This article is a historical summary based on public records. It is for general information and is not medical or legal advice.
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