Disgraced former sprinter Ben Johnson, who had his 100 metres gold and World record at the 1988 Olympics stripped after testing positive for steroids, says his autobiography Seoul to Soul , due in next month, will provide new evidence that he was a victim of sabotage.
The book, yet to be seen by anyone outside his circle at a small independent publisher, will shock the sporting world, believes Johnson.
According to the Guardian, beyond his admission of doping, Johnson "suggests his drink in Seoul was spiked with a drug he had always avoided".
'I stopped taking steroids six weeks before the Games. I wouldn't be that dumb to take anything so close to an Olympic final. And the amount of steroids found in my system could have killed a normal man. I tested positive for Stanozolol but I was using other steroids,' the 48-year-old said.
Johnson says the mystery about his doping will be soon over.
'My drink was spiked. I can't go into too much detail here -- but it helped me hear what happened. I have a witness who was with me and he revealed everything. He explained how it happened, and what he did, and it all made sense. The world will be shocked by these revelations but, at the same time, lots of people have said there was some sort of problem in 1988 and I was set up. It was a mystery for 22 years but the mystery will soon be over,' he told the Guardian.
Asked whether he had been said up, Johnson said, '"The reason why is sponsors. That's the main reason. I don't want to say too much here but it's all in the book.'
