eee em eee (Olympian It is about his love for sport — and about the cree eee Pentel ee cr iee rotons See eee ee eon Eee with apparent eas, always cherishing the Olympic ideal Ultimately, however, he faced a terrible decision: play fair eo eerer eee cae ens ‘Werner tells the truth about perfo rd Cree eres nea ete ne ees eet ess ‘obtained and used them, often with the suppoet and Pecan ge nee eee ee eat which the top athletes went head ro head, scoring point in fiteen nominated invitational meetings. been an explosion in the popularity of track and field sill only a selected few who snapped up the million-dollar and six-figure meet fees, but many athletes could pull ich by the end ofa hectic senton tneant an impresive figure depended on the pofile of your sport and how you Directly after the event, the three medallists were taken to holding room. Olukoje, Nandapi and me. [No matter how I'm feling or thinking, inbred sportsmanship through. T would honour his viceory. Pd tried «0 congratulate hi straight after the event, but he'd ignored me. Now, down inthe he room, [tried again, TTknew he spoke English well "Congratulations sid: He ignored me. Nandapi tied. Olukoju ignored him too and ‘ther, staring straight ahead of himself ‘Nandapi looked at me. ‘Les just belt him,’ he said. [saw Olukoju’s eyes dare around. "You know, that doesn’t sound like a bad idea,’ I said, “Yeah, said Paul. ‘Let's ust kick the living fuck out of him! [straightened up and looked! at Olukoju, He picked up his be ings and lfe che room [Nandapi had a chuckle. It was the end of the road for him, his competition. Fora dozen yeats he'd represented his country, but setting out. We sa there fora few moments, the old workhorse the student, until dhe steward came and told us i was time eo coll our Commonwealts medals. palling in a USS8000 appearance fe per meet. The fees the fringe of a top-ten world ranking were negotiable, Td pul in US$1000, sometimes a litle more, often a lot much, but $1000 ro 8 Romanian, C2ech of Russian is big them and their family, Victory at an individual Grand Prix skort $10,000 4 room in Ingolstadt with the Romanian thrower Costel would come fourth a the following World Championships ) He knew linle English, I kaew less Romanian, but ‘primitive form of sign language, we got our messages to ‘A normal annual wage, | gathered, was somewhere around 4 yeat ~ 40 the $2000 he'd won at a previous meet would sp his Family eat propery. He feared all his competitors were and we discussed the isue in as much detail as we could. Perspective, the quest for a good placing and prize money le diferent meaning fom mine. atthe Austrian Inernational in Linz and rook fourth in Twas consistently hing the top five throughout Europe ofthese meets belied thie billing. World champions, and European champions and world-record holders were competing wherever the opportunity arose. The crowds were rsionate and knowledgable, | pur in a very hard winter in 1990 and went into the 1990-1 season bigger, stronger and faster. Ar taining, my distances were My personal best remained the same, but my average throws creeping forward and was becoming more consistent 1 had 2 season, pumped one 64.06 metres 10 qualify for the World Ch ‘onships in Tokyo, and had many throws nearing the mid-ixties Going into the last event of the Australian season, 1 v6 ‘contention for male Track and Field Athlete of the Yeas, a coupe points behind Tim Forsyth and equal second with Rohan Robinsot needed 64.16 metres and, fom memory, eacked a few over 63. «ould pall out the big One. I was stil happy withthe rest At ewenry-two, Iwas seting down and my senior world rankPositive JOSS THE SEAS AND DOWN THE YEARS From Austria Iweat to Italy ~ro Creole, for the IalanInternac 1 was hunched in the back seat of my reves’ undown to BMW for nearly cight hours. 1 ehvew fourth again, in competition. | went from thereto the Rome Grand Prix and took fifth, Ths 4 frustrating event. I was beaten by a. umber of upstarts. One these newcomers was US. thrower Kamy Kasmeri. He threw ar (64 metres thar day. He was sill only a kid, and the following yeae ‘would set a new US. collegiate record of 70.82 metres! He another loud:mosthed Yank, who went on to play college food (On a beach in aly after the meet, his Foud mouth was geting us everyone’ skin, including che othee Americans. He was with = of mates, throwing 2 gridiron ball around. Of cours, it had to at my feet was with Australian sprinter Dean Capobianco at stared at me for a moment as though he was heating things. "No fucking way mant 'm staying put’ fone of Murray's javeline and looked at him. ‘Follow me ‘out of the hotel carrying a javelin, Mureay in tow. The us. moved slowly towards the waiting taxi using the 4 spear on anyone who got too close. I nearly stabbed one ‘one inthe arm, while che bandaged leader egge his war ‘We finally reached the safety ofthe taxi, and it sped off kicked and punched several times. The driver casually asked ‘The nextday I discovered that'd broken 10 bones in and was out of throwing for si wesks. I was thinking as Kasmeri approached the gridiron at my fet. generally unbappy with the guy, and unable 0 think logi- up the ball and torpedoed it miles over his mates’ head, the ocean. The American looked at me, “Usles fucking sid, ‘Can't theow a football. Cant throw a discus towards him. I don't throw a had punch” Capo whispered in my eat, "You should give him one for that! Td already had a bad day, but was determined not to repeat had happened in New Zealand the previous year. Aussie ja ower Murray Keen had been hassled by 2 massive Maos. respect to Murray, he isn't exactly a fighter. asked the Maori to fff and he turned on me. I caught him flush on the jaw with a hook. He buckled. I shew a few more punches wnt had hoy to the floor. His eyes were looking straight into mine. ‘Come on = me, then!” he sereamed. When they carried him off o jail to ool overnight he was stil abe to hold my stare. The next morning, the Aussie team was in the process of levi hotel when [noticed through the front windows a large group of Mi warriors om th street outside, They'd obviously guessed which the Australian team was staying in, and God knows how long stood about waiting for me co come out. In the middle of the was one with half his head bandaged. His face was an absolute m™ ‘Murray saw them foo, “Oh fuck, 'm not going ou,’ he quivere Hooked around the hotel, Most ofthe Aussie team had alread Acting braver than [fet Lai “Well be right might find out in my cat. "Give him one, big man ~ give him one!” Was breathing heavily. Tl whip your ass, Aussie like I did today.” impressed me. one, big man. Give bin one up taking several people to keep us apart. Kasmei was ay, the exiron washed ashore and everyone went back to tan. Capo was disappointed. "Why didn't you give him you hear me? I kept telling you to give him one fight for you,’ I said, shaking with adrenaline. “You're the ‘man on cath. Pm the one who would have had to do bron learning experience, a precedent The realisation of a [was an Olympian, fortunate eo take pact in something so fewPositive OSS THE SEAS AND DOWN THE YEARS do, Bur now I wanted more. I wasnt satisfied just to be there, tog ‘ot on Olympic spit. Twas in good form heading to the Games ofthe XXV Olymping Barcelona, The 1991-1992 season had been successfl and I Europe in the summer of 1992 full of confidence. won the British AAA Championships ‘Av a country match, Austalia versus Great Britain, 1 polled g (64.26 meres. Second place was around $7 mets T now never ranked out of the top ten and headed into Euro for a couple of meets. The last ofthe tour was the most sini the Rhede International in Germany, 300 kilometres north of Fr furt, Reigning world champion Lars Reidel was on his home turf preparing for Barcelona. So was Wolfgang Schmidt, my chi iol, He was 198 centinetres, a muscular 117 kilograms, wit bi hair like the mane of a horse. Photographs of Schmide had beea lover my walls aftr he'd taken silver in Montteal. A former wo record holder, he wat an athleic figure of huge stature, in tespect ‘Schmide was Americanised. He threw under the East German’ ‘but he wasn'e under its thumb, He was jailed in che early 19805 ‘anti-social’ behaviour. I was rumoured thatthe Stasi (Fast Ger secret police) had planted «handgun in his apartment and he h been jailed for fifteen months. However, his real erime had beet ‘oppose communism publicly and theeaten to speak out about do He wasn't allowed to throw for five seasons. He eventually deft to the West, bur Eckare Arbeit made it clear in Seas files tha Aida’ need to fear Schmide spilling the beans without ‘cing retribution. He di’ talk, but he di throw. In 1989, he rook second i world rankings, sith a mighty 70.92 metres. In 1991, he came fo in the Tokyo World Championships. ‘When you're that good, I guess you're allowed to have a si superior attitude, Schmidr had gone fom having confidence © Arrogant co something very ugly. Our fire chance to converse had @ World Championships. He had asked me what part of the 1 was bora in im Austria, sed the nation as an afterbieth of Germany. He then gave som of Australia. It made the most unfavourable pat of Siberia sound like paradise. If his comments were intended blood boiling, he achieved his purpose. They made my deter- to-do well in Rhede stronger than ever. usand people had packed the stadium out. Driving eo the jd see droves of people walking to the stadium or riding families were crammed on the backs of old cats pulled Germans love intermational athletics, and Rhede was tra 1 very big occasion. on was there, having serve his ban, and ran. close second however, ws on the two powerhouses, Reidel and Over recent years the Germans have come to regard winning ing events almost as their birthright. The men’s discus the king of them all. On home soil, there was no other 1 watched as the pair of them were interviewed on sion before the met started, and they were being asked fies and who'd come second. ie team was out ofits league, that was clear. Drescler, queen of the long jump, nailed 748 meres to win twas the second:longest jump im history. Australian was holding second spot to the untouchable She made 6.63 metres and it was clear the Germans not frst, but second and thid too. In the final round, with the German Susan Hedke pulled out 6.64 metres, and aa Helga Radi, 6.65 metres. ‘cold, sll day, noe suitable for big teow, but fai for Ife inders alike. Technique would count for alot. planted my at 61.62 metres, There were a few concerned murmurs. " us.Positive ROSS THE SEAS AND DOWN THE YEARS Schmidt nailed one at 61.90 metres; Reidel, 61.04 metres. That's good throws in miserable, wee conditions. The second round vey, repeat ofthe frst one, Round theee saw me plane one 62.96 metres. Thar gor them 1 ing, The pressure mounted. In the lst round, stil eading, I let a big one go Tt was a bea going straight down the middle. I went over 64 metees, maybe ck to the 65 metre mark. I never found out, because the throw ws ca ‘foul Ie was a blatant efor to stop me winning. AIS throwin. Merv Kemp stormed about venting hie displeasure. Journalist Mi Hust later wrote: “German athletic officials did their hest co th Werner Reiter... and Australian team coach, Craig Ellard, “The red flag was up before Werner had released the discus.” Sil, Reidel and Schmidt's last round efforts coulda’t m 62.96 and I won the event "The crowd was silent. A jubilant Mery Kemp told che Australian journalists present the viceory was the most significane one any Australian thrower ever had "They coulda believe i that they were beaten on thir soil he said. ‘I walked past Reidel's couch with Werner... be there unable to believe an Australian could Knock chem oft unheard of. Australia has never had a result like this before!” Te was a briliant feeling. For once Iwas at a major competition ic was a level playing field. Forge the victory, it was man agains Athlete against athlete, And Td won. 1 was an eight-year-old kid We marched to the dope test centre. I was thirsty and one of Geman officals offered me a drink from an opened bore "Not on your life? Vaid. Twas supervised, urinated, and signed the necessary papers other urine specimens were tossed out. [Ar the medal podium there was reluctance on the Germans’ to take the stand. They did so after a lengthy hesitation and romping. Germans aren’ good losers. And the Olympics were 00 font later, the press were crammed into the marguce near- hy postmortem went on between Reidel, Schmidt and in media. At first they ignored the Australian who'd won, then they started asking questions about me in German, T couldn’ speak the language. They insulted and accused me nt, until I coughed for atention and said in their own say, gentlemen, I do speak German fluently.” ‘One embarrassed German television reporter put up his in broken English, said, Tm sorry, bur I don't know who do now,’ I said. ious traning session was in Germany, one werk before We were staying inthe Queens Hotel in Frankfur, Lars Reide's club fora heavy throwing session, The world ‘asn't in sight, bur I saw the shining BMW he'd woo in the car park. He'd recently come down from the mounts . lin was ina nearby circle with his coach. He was throwing j working on the speed element of his technique. Merv was [suddenly appeared from the changing rooms, looking typi- with himself, ancl entered che adjacent cle to mine. He light stretches curly to cach ther. afew go and we took itn turns, critically examining one y dscuses went further every time. Noticeably, e768 popped out of his head, He studied the wind — no there, He checked my body, no significant change there. He ‘utthrowing me by several metres in training. inthe infield, stopping each discus with his foot, going and running hs hee through the grass, Any discus that 63 meres he clapped briefly and screamed: “Good one!"Positive ‘Yeah, good one! “Yep, good one, like it” Reidel’s throws were by Merv’s disdain, hands on the hips, a shaken head. Reidel’s throws dropped a lle - 63, 62, 61, 2 ~ mine kept further, Reidel stopped throwing, spoke beiely co his coach walked back to his BMW. He did a 180 degree spin-out, booting while out ofthe car park ‘A smiling Mere and I packed our bags. An houe lacer we were en ing the sunsbine ata local restaurant, On the table were 0 pl loaded high with salad, massive schnites and potatoes galore. “This ie what it's all about, Merv, Tsai He placed both hands behind his head and leaned back inhi “They're tipping Reidel to win gol,’ he sai, philosophically. sally since he ecently cracked 69. [et you now that he docs ‘make the final. His mind's gone.” Merv was right. Come Barcl present world champion Reidel got nowhere near the top twelve. ‘est ehrow did’ make 60 metres. INA ISA CITY of some four milion people, the second fn Spain afer Madrid. Ie has its own language, Catalan, culture, Many of ts inbabitants felis a separate county. Olympics in town, the city's resources were stretched t0 ‘While Barcelona has alot of tourism, ic has never ~ and never again ~ experience anyting Like the crush of suffered during the Games. Almost all the hotel roams ity were reserved months before the teams arsved. The excessive, often approaching US$1000 a night the new funicular railway and bus services, the special sand countless traffic police, che transport shortcomings 1s. There isn't a major city that could host a modern Olym transport problems. It was all the more hectic because the the Games, Barcelona authorities declared school holidays place inthe two weeks of competition. was only'a handful of ws, we caught a courtesy bus co the of the Aussie eam had already azrved,Ichad heen warm tas:Positive ena in Germany, but the heat and humidity in Spain were intense. Wy ‘my competition mainly being European I didn't mind tha. Th vi was one of the best ever buy nestled om the shores of the Med rancan. Iwas superior to Seoul more coloueful, madera, and vb ‘Arriving ac my second Olympic venue was relaxed experience, although on the track the competition would be as intense as eve, atmosphere inthe village was relatively benign. In Seoul, the sir been thick wih rivalry and nationalism. In Barcelona it was no lo communism vs capitalism, but athlete vs athlete. It seemed to some of the mystique away ‘We underwent the various security checks and formalities, made our way to our rooms. I was with Mark Garner, Loxley T son, David Culbert and Miles Murphy. No more Rat Pack ~ sauys and T were never billeted together again. ‘The team's sie ‘quarters were a wshaped block of buildings, several storeys high complex withthe headquarters facilities was onthe other sie of ‘ourtyard. Directly behind the athlers rooms was the beac, ‘The only times I left the village were ro walk: along the beach after raining, usually in the early mornings and evenings. The ait salty and I could see the coastal patrol boats making sure tx never got too close "stayed in my room the night of the opening ceremony, fst oP front of the television screen as 10,000 athletes from 17D cou ‘marched into the Monte Stadium. Te flame was lic specacl by an archer shooting a flaming arrow into the torch bow King Carlos, an Ofympicyachtsman in the Flying Dutchman Class in 19 declared the Games open. The athletes’ oath was lost amid speeches. The same oficial secrecy in Scoul was apparent in Barcelons -up Sessions, my throws were among the best: No-one over 64 metres, even though many of them were the ‘who had been pumping it 69 mets inthe Seoul valle. ing back to my room che night before qualifying, when L arge group of athletes gathered by one of the exits. The 35 Arnold Schwarzenegger. twas fascinating tose all the ian athletic sats gather ike litle kids around Arnold, a5 chough he was God. He had that characteristic huge face. [Td becn wandering around che village with Lee Millee when Jn Bermuda shor, bright white socks and a Hawaiian hed. He'd walked up to me and in a deep voice sai, ‘could you please tell me where the weighting compe suid casually. ‘t's down through tha gate and along tothe ind... and gave the guy an incomprehensible route, with ing everywhere. One eye on me, one eye on my gesturing man said, “Thank you,” and walked off. As soon as he did that it was Amold Schwarzenegger, I cursed myself for talked to him, ‘over. Ar 190 centimetres, his ye lvel was above most of Iheads. He was laughing away, signing books and Thins jsecracking all the time. to him politely in German | stopped signing aucographs and eyed me. As none of the resent understood German, he went on in a derogatory the people around us. He bad me in hysterics Iwas about the conversation when some ofthe American basketballers sieht and began walking over, so 1 quietly slipped away. lone wa permitted to know which throws circle was to be use ‘ne was allowed ro practise inthe stadium. Idd the same check had four yeas before, Te stadium seemed more open, 0 the could be a greater factor. fle comfortable inthe layout and was for the competition to begin. shoolders with the discus champions as though we were sin a business. Reidel, Schl, Bugar, Delis I'd trained with them all. Twas also friendly with Romas Ukaeas, the wee now representing Lithuania, He was a big happy gu. itespent time inthe U.S. In Los Angeles he'd been caught ids and been banned for two years. He wandered around king nervous nt before qualifying, I collected my food with homeboy ‘Martinez, the only Spanish thrower in the competition. Spanish tracksuit, sandals and gold chains. He took the ped some more eggs on my plat, 10 be bigger,’ he said, poyching me ou. Td met hmv afew years previously at the back ofa busin Is to-a meet. (Discus throwers always hog the back seat.) He'd va in, 198 centimetres, 122 kilograms, bowing politely to the lady ‘moved down the bus. 1 was very much the new kid on the bi that point, and he pointed tothe empry seat beside me. Me = sit? “Sure. I moved over and we introduced oursel¥es Ubareas liked the gis: I'm noc sure the feling was mural time a pretty one ~ in fact they didn’t have to be prety, just fx got onthe bus, he'd give them a whistle. None rook offence. Thi summer in lly and they were used co it. Most smiled and. ‘probably assuming that Ubartas knew he had no chance wi Lwant to come to Australia’ he said. ‘And have an Australian “Es, good idea” “Do you think Australian women like big strong men ikem “Mate. You've got Buckley's” Ubareas frowned, ‘What mean "Buckley's"? ‘te means they'd die for you." He grinned and nodded his head, ‘We met inthe village and wished each other luck, He was He'd only been able to manage minor pluiags at major mee i last few yeats and fet the weight of his newly independent behind him. He'd refused to ake part inthe 1931 Word Ch ship rather than represent the Soviet Union, and all of Lithia ported him. “You'll bea national hero come final da’ I sid ‘We shook hands. ‘And you, Werner; he sad. “You male the this time. No problem. You have a wonderful future.” ‘Costel Gras; the great Romanian thrower I had bunked Ingostad, wae staying inthe village, He was a policeman in bis land, although he never pur on the uniform. He was a coke supported for his Olympic endeavours Vesteinn Hafteinsson was aso present. He was an Teen Goliath of man, He spoke re not big enough.” than you, I replied ina celaxed manner. "You Catalonian and piled food on his plate “We're sil the babies with Said. "Bur at last we're good looking!” He wandered off fn Barcelona was sold, but in many of the venues there seats. The sponsors and corporate people ten didn't and the real desperate fans missed out. An effort was the stands a the lst minute forthe television broadease ck and field are always che most sought after, and there seats in the 100,000-spectator stadium, lay was 3 August I was eweny-cight degrees and the ood throwing conditions. There were thirty cont ‘wenty-two different counties, three Americans, thece Cubans, wo Germans, two Hungarians, two Lithoa- A scattering of represeatanves from other counties. From lth countries there was me, and one Brish and one though neither of them was expected to qualify for Seoul Olympics, I was inthe econd group. Wa the cons dis tr mach of an advantage fae o bea very unpredictable competition hough aay 'metres would mean certain elimination. ia hpi Pion in th rod lone the cle 0 wath the ft snos-white hair and eyebrows — ia PaPositive cna the right position ar time of release, then ep the guts out talking out loud, and everyone nearby could heat me, ing fail here! Tam too good t fall There sno fucking pt in four fucking yeass for it to end this way! Not this ‘qualifying group and soak up the atmosphere ofthe stadium, Tmrich Baga, one ofthe few 70 metre thrower in the group, cy only manage 58.70 metres. almost fell off my seat as he was kno ‘Lars Reidel, reigning world champion, threw way below expe tions. He'd thrown 71 metres months earlier. His best that day 59.98 metres. He failed to qualify. “The Lithuanian gian, Vaclas Kidykas, potential medall with a $9.95. “The USA's best thrower, Mike Bunic, who had had the year’s ea throw of 69.36 metres, could only manage 59.12. He, too, sliminated. Te was unbelievable ‘Avy group took tothe stage, we were looking at a 61 mete qs fying dscance, Jurgen Schult, reigning champion, thew 61.08 mes very weak by bis standards 1 pumped it 60.64 metres, which I was happy with firs up. I rid of the nerves. But it wasn't enough. Romas Ubartas pulled ol big throw and sat down. He was through. In the second round, Schult improved 1963.46 metres and sat “Then the dark horse from Cuba, Roberto S. Moya, managed 62 imettes. He was theowgh T wound up ac the back ofthe ciel for my second throw, and ri itay hard as could, The discus el short of my first. As was cus ‘with throwers at Olympic level {walked out the front of the crcl avoid the measurement being recorded. T knew what Pd done wrong. Lwas trying to hard, geting wal up inthe sprit ofthe event rather dan concentrating on myself that splirsecond too fast atthe back. The chythm was pone "Nerves hit. had one throw to improve, or it was Seoul al again. Isat down beside my taining bag for afew moments 2nd to shut everything ou. “Think about what you've done 10,000 times before. All you to do is walkin that ice, tur slow, a nice easy entey, make the circle, cleared out everything from my mind, relaxed, -v. The wind had died, but the discus lew ~ 62.20 metres, in the group, ics in dhe crowd rosted, I stormed out the back of the lutly fuming, so aggresive I wanted to rip the cage down, rs moved away. The only emotion that had come to me By the time I'd taken my throwing shoes oft was rei sup placed fith overall, less than 1 mere feom thd place, from second place. 1 was perfectly positioned fo the final. few deep breaths as Hafsteinsson, the Islander, discovered qualified by centimetres taking twelfth and final place. He air, delighted, the only one displaying any kind of 4 falfilled his Olympic deeam. ‘moment Isaw the homeboy hero, David Martine, lve pi nightmare. In front of his home crowd, he failed to the qualifying rounds, most of the crowd is unable to tll nee, $0 they follow proceedings by turning to the big records distances and places a big, beautiful Q" next to ‘of those who qualify. As *Q appeared next to “Reitte’ 1 sporadic roars around the stadium fom the Austalian and mwcalth members ofthe crowd, When no 'Q' appeared, 7, the Spanish crowd booed and whistled. Martinez, ny trundle off the arena, his dream in ruins and ‘wasted, with hi compatriots mocking bim, t hear of David Martine again until he stood in court disgraced for using performance-enhancing drugs. bo areas won the discus with the weakest throw since Munich, best at a nineteen year old would have won the event. om uspositive cna Ubartas became a Lithuanian national hero, until the following whe he tested positive to anabolic steroids ar the World Charm ships in Storr In the women's dicus, the undisputed favourite was tke Wi of Germany. She had won forty-one consecutive meets between I ‘and 1991, when she was upset by the Bulgarian Taventanka Kiri In the final, however, a unknown Cuban, Maritaa Marten, von ‘over 2 metres It was the it non-Eastem Earopean or German vi since the war. Khristova came second, adding a silver medal 1 bronze one from the Seoul Olympics, and tested positive to sts the following year. Wyludda never troubled the Barcelona teste ew testing eaipment. She didn even make the top cig. ‘Sixthplace disance in the men's discus in Seoul would have ‘won gold in Barcelona, Sixth place in the women’s discus in ‘would have won silver in Barcelona enjoyed watching the men’s shot pur event from close up in crowd. All three medallss in the event had previously been from the sport for posiive drug tests. In Barcelona, they all negative, The best shor putter inthe world, Randy Barnes, wasn at Barcelona ~ he was sll serving his steroid ban. (Another US. patter had alo been banned before Barcelona, fr using Clenin American Mike Stulce won the gold. In 1990 he tested) pose testonterome; in 199% be again tested postive for testosterone. Si "went another American, James Dochrig, who had tested posit the end of 1990, ako for using testosterone. He sat out fou ‘months wat, not long before Barcelona, his han was lifted bea ‘procedural inregularities’. In December 1991, he'd pleaded soit posessing and conspiring to sell metamphetamine. He was 5% suspended sentence and placed on probation. The bronze mes Rossian Vyacheslay Lykho, had served his three-month ban in 8 for testing postive to simulanrs. Fifteen ot of eighteen women's events that had in Seou! =e ever Olympic time or distance achieved were alla lower stand Barcelona, 1840 urine samples taken in Baredlona, fve came back they di so to drugs not etched besides the names of the es who had previously tested postive during summer se was exactly asthe athletes had predicted, The drug process wasn't complete. Wa Dan, @ Chinese volleyball gone for strychnine. Soviet marathoner Madina Biktagi- yured norephedrine, a mild stimulant. American hammer Logan and shot puter Bonnie Dasse had used Clenbu- Medvedieva from Lithuania had gone for Mesocarb, lists were found to have doped. No steroid positives were when a team captain was required I ended up inthe at major seni compeiions, there was no real need for sometimes found myself in the role unofficially, fone of our runners had threatened ro beat the living shit Vinnicombe over a personal dispute. The news hadn't management, and L was approached and asked if] could runner on the side. He would respect my words of wisdom, inthe village stayin thee own groups t's good thing, as we Personalities, Whereas a swimmer, for example, may have eter of complaint about something or gota petition wp, the that he was simply going to marder the cyclist, pulled ‘over and calmed him down. As a sign of my sincerity and leship qualities I gathered a group of athletes together and into the cages where the Ausi eycling team locked up the quietly pissed all over chem. We all watched from the balcony ening as the cyclists prepared themselves for aneary taining ey were al tentatively touching the sticky handl-bar, then thei hands, leven o'clock that night was resting in bed when the ly sa up and sad: "Right, that’ i. 'm gonna kill him!” ed out of the room,Positive CNA was in his dormitory, in a chair in the coener. He was gh he was wearing a invisible sraghtjacket, and his jae though the lower half of his face was frozen. He was abso red with peespration ~ he looked like he'd just come out ing Pool uy was suffering from more than a bout of Olympic ith less chan frty-cight hours to go before his mee, he'd about texting postive and consumed a drug that some guys 8 CNA. He heard it would ensure that all the las traces hhe'd used would instanly be flashed out of his system, his roommates his intentions, and they relayed them to me guy just sbook in the corner. ta recognised diuretic or masking drug. I's 2 bug poison cl (word of mouth) is that’ similar to Dnitrophenol~ ‘dug instancly raises metabolic eates by over SO per cent, ‘the thirst mechanism and supposedly sweats the drugs out fof your skin. I's much stronger than the diuretic Lasix, a trainers give ro theie horses because it enables thoroughbreds compete more often and run faster. To my knowledge, than any human diuretic on the marketplace. Only athletes used Lasix as a diuretic, a it could deplete the body sodium and potassium. All anyone knew abou che effects on humans was based on hearsay. No-one knew the dose to a id knoe ws that it cold kl cells, and asi was heal designed to eliminate bugs, assumed it could kil wovlegsed. as well didn't you get a doctor? I asked the gilriend, The guy was shaking his head speaking through git teth. {you're got no choice’ I sid. By now the shock had worn off 6 scared. ‘Wheres the packet? I asked. ‘So I ean read the and warnings.” ‘old me that another athlete had simply given her boyfriend and he ad tusted him. 4 long story short, we ended up grabbing the nearest 1 chought he was joking and casually followed him into the corr only to discover that he'd smashed the las case on the wall cons the small chemical fre extinguisher and pulled ie out. Careying 1 baton, he headed forthe lit {raced back into my room, intending to put some clothes ot, bel realising that preventing a potential homicide was more imports decency. 1 sprinted back rowaeds the lift just as the doors close, “Stop! ‘Tm gonna kill him!” Twas seratching atthe closed doors with my fingernails, tying prise them open. From inside the if could hear a voice saying, gonna ll him!" The lift began is ascent. I bolted forthe stirs thece ata time, bounded up however many level t was to whee cyelits were saying. When I reached the level che eylist occupi was (09 late. The eunner was already inside the darkened room. Lerep up tothe doorway, seitng for loud spatering noise looked inside. With typical gusto, the runner had placed the fue e juisher on the ground and gently turned it on. Winking 2t me tiptoed out ofthe oom, closed the door, then sprinted fll hore li, with me closely behind him. “Teach him to fuck with me!” announced proudly. As te lif dooes closed behind us, we heard Screams and swearing from insie the eyciss" room, In Barcelona I was pulled aside and asked to help sith another Jete's ‘personal’ problem. I waved an uninterested hand. Get else, said. His gielfiend, who had been the one to approach insisted that it was serious and sai that she wasnt prepared (0 anyone ese. He was one of the novices on the ream and was stk his room, In Barcelona P'd taken a few young guys under my wing who new to such a huge meet I knew they peobably fleas overwbel and uncomorrable as Thad at my first Games, and 1 had thou sencle word of encouragement and common sense would help ‘dal with their feelings, On this occasion the athlete's gitriend ‘so persistent chat | eventually agreed to help. ‘aa wai:Positive ‘Commonwealth doctor, a Canadian, who was unbelievable, He k everything, was reassuring and kepe his mouth shut. IF he haci't 150 much common sense, God knows what might have happen, shook is hand atthe end. He told me he'd never heard of the and thar these young guys werent fearless, merely supid. Becaise drugs the athlete had used woulda’t have been picked up by thet anyway, the young lad could have given himself a cardiac ares nothing. Nor thar mattered. The dehydrated athlete never made finale immediately studied vdeo footage of what had gone wrong. fel the devastation of Seoul ~justempey. As watched replays I pondered Yuri Syedykh's words to me prior to Barcelon Werner, this is your one Olympic chance. In another year oF He'd clicked bis fingers and said no more. ide technical mistakes and blamed no-one but myself. The ich had swarmed all over me in the preceeding frty-cight ally pulling me by my clothes wo get me to do nt 10 know me. After afew token questions, they went in fan Olympic sucess story. I minded, I needed time alone Tehought Thad a chance at a medal - but only sim chance people dide’e understand was that, a8 a natura athlete, Iwas stantly throwing a, or cose, to my potential. Take off 2 metres (Olympic pressure and 64 metres became 62.20 metres, which ws 1rd turown in the qualifying rounds. The guys I was up against recorded distances during their carers above or around 68 metes several of them hadn'r even qualified forthe finals in Barcelona if any of them threw anywhere near 90 per cent ofthese distances the final ~ I was automatically out of the event. Dreaming di change the reality. Twas fesing good as T moved in for my firs throw, concent ‘9 what I knew Thad to do ~ spin well and throw tothe best of abst. ried not to think of what I wanted vo do ~ throw 2-3 mete further than I realistically could — just of what I should do. Jurgen Schult had led the firs round with a 62 mete throw. Laie 60.10, But something fet wrong. I dia’t have the fel of the disc Schult and Ubareas continued their tug-of-war while I prow around the discus cage focusing on my performance, Another 50 ee rimerres would get me ito the final eight with three mace throws, BE TTeouldn’e manage it In a daze ~ the event passed so quickly — ‘walking from the infield in a dsappoincing tenth place. Four vat ‘work had been blown in moments. I'd kepe my promise to nyse ‘make the final, bu that was all 1d peaked fractionally too early and had had a bad day. et “ aaPANDORA'S BOX his approach. “They were all on it’ he snapped, referring to tion in Seoul.” “There was no cheating. We ran on equal the best man won, they know it. [know it That’s all that Big Bad Ben came to symbolise the end of the most massive 2 in Olympic spor, his second postive result ironically symbolise the beginning of a new era. decade of the millennium got uglier as it progresed, A box of drug horror stories opened up 0 me whichever way Every competition, hotel, fight o bus trip left me with an memory. I regularly bunked with athletes who swallowed snd. fn froot of me. Being a 108 kilogram top-ten intenational swith a German name, I was through the door. Trying even to these guys that Twas natural wes ike telling fellow inmate ‘ow that I was innocent of the charge. t before the 1993 Ialian Grand Prix event in Rome, 2 the guys and T stumbled in on a prominent Kalin athlete, his hotel room intravenously being administered some rather looking ‘supplements I knew him and we locked eyes for seconds. He looked perfectly relaxed, The coaches and men faciously waved us away. One of the Good Samatitans I was 310 team management and reported the incident. The Aussie tum asked the Samaritan what the fuck he expected him to ft. "You're not competing against him, so what the fock are about? Paul Nandapi fist chrew at 2 maior competion in Italy he Ja personal best of nearly 60 metres. This was the sort of form seen him unbeaten for two seasoas in Australia while T the junior rankings. Four Kalin throwers went past Nandapi xy ~ the winning throw touching 68 meres. PANDORA’S BOX BY LATE 1992, FARLY 1993, drugs were on the increase agin "The sndard i all sports hogan to improve dramatically one Bodies began to change; rankings took on an all oo familiar struc with athletes who had recently heen on the finge suddesly jmp to the top of ee ladder. Many of the inhuman levels et at Seoul sxtracted litle sympathy. In 1985, he'd announced: ‘Drugs are ‘demeaning and despicable and when people get caught they should thrown out of sport for good ... I want to be the best on my ail and no drugs will pass into my body.’ After the Seoul Olympiss eventually admited he'd been on non-stop drug therapy for five 3 before he made his noble 1985 statement. He professed himself clean in is comeback to racing in 1990) ‘gained song public support by touring schools and colleges wart the country’s youth ofthe pedis of taking drugs. He received st ‘ovations. When eaught the second time, in 1995, he was alice it age with Duc rack coach Honk Krnyeat wha has ined eles runes fo thy yea Pope Het ik that ings ar eerie Joon fw potine Yang the opposite Hes Jeon geting cake po- ge He wo? ni aiPositive PANDORA'S 80x Merv Kemp weote about the Italian rip in Throwing News: ‘of top sporsmen are slaves to hormone products” Nevala ‘to accuse the country’s sport administrators of covertly pet- encouraging drug use amongst its athletes, He cited the deaths ofthece Finnish gry attaining camps. ‘official lener one Scandinavian Olympic committe stated no time to des! with ‘the moral side of the issu’, and athletes to consider the ‘practical advice’ commitce doctors red from various “experts in he field’ A brief treatise fl- specific details on individual steroids and their clearance Discussions with coaches fom fly «.. provided valuable sgh ny tesning methods ned by lasing thrower in Western Europe. Si ‘ath, ce aero tee than» thong eo bp cence their success was more clearly influenced by their spor medne experts. The Halon inpaccla ceived amazing assistance fom tht downs though the national Federston.* -Merv’s article coincided with the spech of GDR President of 5 Federation, Manired Ewa, 0 the assembled national team, in wh he reaffirmed that a vistory in modern sport was a vitory in medicine. fic wasn’t happening in central Europe, it was happening in Ses dinavia. Dr Marku Alen of Jyvaskyla University publily stated tht ‘number of Finnish compeitrs who had won medals in Los Angeles ther chan Marti Vainio who was caught ~had used banned substa and tested negative. Dr Alen also said that seventy-one Finnish restans had used illegal drugs while preparing forthe Los a Olympics, but refused to reveal the names ofthe offender Gold medals inthe javelin, Finland’s Paul Nevala, added: ‘Atk 1g Swedish discus throwers admitted on tleision that steroids fr yeas. One of them claimed that he'd taken so ids they'd eroded his calcium, causing him to require six tons. Orher athletes were ako complaining of suffering ted injuries, the results of muscles developing roo quickly ns and athletes pushing thei bodies roo har. forget the time I shared a room in Boson with a Brissh an Oxford University scholar no less ~ who was taking enhancer Vebonol, an Australian deug used to stima- jess in horses. He showed me how he always rotated of growth hormone (GH) into different parts of his wal, He claimed that if he continually injected ic into the the drug noticeably reduced fat from that exact region of ‘within matter of day. This guy sdied classical hteraruee, ‘swallow some Halotestin and then passionately quote, is forme, and doth the body make” When one of the guys meticulously explained the benefits of insulin during epide hormone therapy, the scholar was inspited to quote Textament: “The people that have walked in darkness have light?” Everyone thought the guy was great value and fucking nurs. Once before sabbing the needle in for the tof 4 new GH cyle he quoted some H.G. Wells, the ce of which T would grasp at a later tame: “And presently afresh supply of the Food ofthe Gods was let loose to wreak tos e189 Sete Sing Comms ena Sensor Jb akin "ion the ut of dey fo Austrain spre afer the AIS dope Mery Kemps name was caged though the mu. Delendig te wn ‘inhi, Kenp pov te inguiry wih performance data to compa ‘Asalinpeformances wth has oneeas. He meine anal ini mine fom Mourne Unica, Phil Spe, hot ae how inte season hat Meer's own pupil Nandaptpanped fist srw ovr 6? Schule pumped one 74.08 Sesto Ba Clin, wernt Sats, com vee is eles of he ies when cock a peace a chel how im intercon em ow ool i hte ae pfrmig 2 — iniPositive PANDORA'S BOX its powers of Giantry upon the world.’ He told me that wsing GH was the most awesome feeling there is, and that he co believe the sophistication and fearlessness with which the Nordic letes employed the ‘new age’ drugs. Gerald Gremion, a well-known Swiss physician who worked iunior cyclists, admited thar competitive riders as young as si routinely requested prescriptions for EPO, reling him that eve ‘was taking it ‘They know their cole models,’ Gremion sai. E ‘other week, it seemed, there was a public outery. One cha Belgian cyclist admitted he took EPO because, Ifyou use it andy ‘opponent doesn’, you're 12-15 per cent bette.’ Gilles Deion, Prench cyclist, claimed he'd been told by a team doctor that it impossible ro be among the rop fifty riders without using EPO. 5 ing magazine L'Equipe quoted French cycling. champion Ni “Aubier as saying: Frankly, can't imagine a rider belonging to the 100 and not taking EPO, GH, or another product. The problem ie the use of doping products has becotne so general that anybody taking anything is regarded as abnormal.” ‘No sport was immune from the doping disease, Two leading balers ested postive ro ephedtine a paralympic champion was ci using Stanozolol. Bobsledders went down as well. A former hhcaryweight hoxer was banned for refusing a dope test, 2 Sussex bowler was banned foe ninetea mouths for using amphetamie European tennis player was caught using Nandeolone. Inthe US. was shock at revelations regarding the massive use of ‘upper’ ia ketbll the press in Australia had fun with AFL and rugby cont ses. My friend and fellow Australian Olympian, wighthiter Ho Goodman, was banned for excessive testosterone recall one night spent in pub near Strassburg. Americaa Leroy Barrell was ther, loudly advertising the virtues of ‘Mah lee Tea, man!” He was like a malfunctioning taperecorde. ‘ls best drink, man! The hese! Mankatean Ice Teal! I understood Linford Christie had wanted to kill him after a race at Costordy Birmingham. He'é have done sport a favour. Burrell jumped che the old ian-owners and refused to stop mouthing off ~ until heavy American throwers threatened to turn him instantly He disappeared with his mates. Everyone in the place good meet and sat at 2 large oak cable with a group of athletes. Apart from the Yanks, there were no throwers was a sureal, strangely jocula night. Most admissions to dope had been in one-to-one discussions after I'd secured trust, This night was different. Drug recipes were openly ‘often a¢ evel sophisticated beyond my comprehension. The as chat taking drugs wasn'e a moral issues it was a taining ertole Brecht once sad: “Great sport begins where good were the e plus ultra of track and field ~ role models, ames, advertiers of products on television, front-page subjects, on sporting magazine covers leading the discussion was Dave Hansen.* He was the only atlete | ever truly fle comfortable with. He was a big buck in the land where 100 milion aspirin eablets are dail, 37 milli people claim to have been abducted by television shows marry off complete strangers but one of sate supposed to use drugs. Mulrimilionaire Dave 1k champion, His hero? He didn't really have one, but red ~ with misty eyes ~ 1 Steve Courson, the NFL offen 8 who'd been diagnosed with dilated eardio-myopathy, or, 5s terms, a worn-out hear. At thirty-three, the player the ‘chemical man’ needed a heart transplan. To Hansen, player's case, paradoxically, was a quality of life issue the Thompson ‘Twin's song ‘King For A Day’ Hansen his rationale: “You might be dead the following day, but at were fucking King!” respects Hansen was your typical American track star ged prt iepositive PANDORA'S BOX annulled a the beginning ofthe new millennium, allowing make 2 new start. nal problem is that no-one ~ athlete or official ~ ix prepared the obvious. I's like eying to persuade superpowers to have eat talks when both sides deny they have nuclear weapons beers were passed around, Hansen added an often aver- “Tf drugs were outlawed, chee’ no way tack and fed ds could be broken.” He said that the standard would drop across the hoard, which could be even more harmful for Jong run than drags in spor jor the authorities in America had secenly made summed up tion. Their leading athletic governing body, The Athletic Con- AC), came under fre for thee perpetual wink-andip-of the- ch to their athletes using deugs. They announced a bold new ompesition’ texting program. The frst year, a mere 686 ath- Selected for testing. Theee hundred and seventy six of 55 per cont ~ were excided, however, because they lived 75 miles away from an official tester! As with the highly TOC lying deug-testing laboratory, the TAC. program ireelevant. The IOC takes in about USS3 billion over period ~ its ourgongs om research and on running its mmission are reported to be less than USS10 milion the custodians wanted fir sport | knew they would never elves in the postion of being able to enforce efectve doping e constantly evaluating and re-evaluating. che lists of specifically banned drgs, drugs permited for one spore There are permanently grey areas ~ legitimate medic as painkillers, nose drops, cough mixtures and anti- reparations all of which could effet che outcome of an is able to differentiate natural products from wnnatoral ints from stimulants, regenerative drugs from performance- drags. ance, Vitamia B12 injections are permited (was always them), yet theic only purpose ix to enhance the athletes lnc; sep el of esi ack pated il rer thee kad Ite emotes chance of improving i able ea ce: Yess with everything abou the doping sap, You ecld Ione exper Aart bel wo lt ered fot tel chop ied robles, wm rena eay np Hye eiveenrees nea osteo asltwas one orth ther Mf everyone was doing. How old 7 fara et deg end one "Spring audorcs are inthe basins of making oney Hansen ro me aces the able, “They prmoing clean spor. potmed ou that they waned ol ele end emer concen Sponsors and hey cul’ d chat there wa able! oh were the ea people thatthe world would ko perive them Te othe gente novey and sorad rable in spon, ce al Willing thoes would bet dope; the more they doped che beh jepeteviaalyan eye evipa aly a ae eee ete ardent orci tia {Dring if hey wih tobe congestive: The sehen can li ole inputs bid He colercd ane oid A far back a 197, speaking ax Csinman of he Bish 5p Counc, rane Stamps nt aus pup St Roger Ban fre lig en cesses lees, of Sabai day ioasereniegitaig tuieanionmt ol surpse for yin to come? Wiha deed of Banner ana teat ey standing cord woud be ewe, 1A eration olf Donat, Dior ofthe Cental Sports Medal Severin Krecs(lonery Ean German), eerie kage cence as el ous eran in dence of the esc aw of phils” Wil Gece offs statmen neat al he exiting ear were sein Helmut Dig, Present of he Geman Alcs Feder, # seotherapeech He beleved that ll eck and eld wold sei _Positive PANDORA'S BOX performance over that ofan athlete who doeso’t use it. [had no ciency of Vitamin B12. Amino acids and vitamins are allowed, ‘ough syrups and headache tablet arent even though many per vitamin preparations contain banned drugs such as Akertonis. ‘okay. Caffeine is allowed in moderate amounts, though no-one can point what this means. According tothe ASDA handbook, thes w cups of coe before an event can return a postive. Some fo ‘inseng ae permiced, others banned. You can't use codeine to Pain, yet aspcin is allowed. A weightlifter wil be banned if her terone-