The Decade’s Worst Moments in Running
Along with the best of the decade, the “naughty aughties” have been notable for many a moment we’d rather forget. But as the old adage goes, forgive but never forget. So here’s a look back at the scandals and heartbreaks that shook the running world in the past decade.
5). Antonio Pettigrew admits to doping
Though he never failed a drug test, like so many other track stars caught up in the doping imbroglio that plagued the last decade, Pettigrew (pictured left) confessed in 2008 to using performance-enhancing drugs. As a result, he and his 4×400 relay teammates were stripped of their gold medals from the 2000 Olympics. But it wasn’t just Pettigrew. His relay-mates Alvin and Calvin Harrison (pictured second left and second right) had already been slapped with four- and two-year suspensions respectively for their own doping offenses. And relay alternate Jerome Young was banned for life in 2004 after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Only Michael Johnson (pictured right) escaped the scandals unscathed. The U.S. men have won the 4×400 relay every Olympics since 1984. But this put a blight on that record. It certainly wasn’t the first we’d heard of doping in track and I’m sure it won’t be the last.
