Doping Scandals in Track and Field

Runners who have tested positive for banned substances.

Tyson Gay - This weekend some of the world’s fastest runners, including Tyson Gay, Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson, failed their drug tests, causing shock and disappointment in the world of track and field. Take a look at these runners and others who have tested positive for banned substances. — Natelege WhaleyTyson Gay was anticipating a 100-meter showdown against Usain Bolt at the World Championships in August. But the American record holder in the event failed a drug test for a banned substance on July 14. Gay won an Olympic silver medal as part of the USA's 4x100 relay team during the 2012 summer Olympics. "I don't have a sabotage story... I basically put my trust in someone and was let down," he said of the positive test.

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Tyson Gay - This weekend some of the world’s fastest runners, including Tyson Gay, Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson, failed their drug tests, causing shock and disappointment in the world of track and field. Take a look at these runners and others who have tested positive for banned substances. — Natelege WhaleyTyson Gay was anticipating a 100-meter showdown against Usain Bolt at the World Championships in August. But the American record holder in the event failed a drug test for a banned substance on July 14. Gay won an Olympic silver medal as part of the USA's 4x100 relay team during the 2012 summer Olympics. "I don't have a sabotage story... I basically put my trust in someone and was let down," he said of the positive test.

Asafa Powell - Jamaican runner Asafa Powell, the one-time 100 meters world-record holder, tested positive for the stimulant oxilofrine at the Jamaican championships and were notified Sunday. "I am not now — nor have I ever been — a cheat," he said in a statement. (Photo: AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)

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Asafa Powell - Jamaican runner Asafa Powell, the one-time 100 meters world-record holder, tested positive for the stimulant oxilofrine at the Jamaican championships and were notified Sunday. "I am not now — nor have I ever been — a cheat," he said in a statement. (Photo: AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)

Marion Jones - Popular track and field star Marion Jones made headlines when she won five gold medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, but the winner’s glow wouldn’t last. In October 2007, Jones admitted to taking performance-enhancing drugs and, as a result, forfeited all medals and prizes. (Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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Marion Jones - Marion Jones won five medals at the 2000 Olympic Summer Olympics but had to give up her medals after admitting to using performing-enhancement drugs in 2007. She served time in prison for denying her use of these stimulants to investigators. Jones has since launched her Take a Break program, in which she encourages people to avoid mistakes “that cause too big a price.” (Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Steve Mullings - Steve Mullings received a lifetime ban in November 2011 after being found guilty of two doping offenses. The former Jamaican runner had won gold in the 4x100m at the 2009 World Championships. His career was cut short for using diuretic furosemide, a masking agent for other drugs in 2011. In 2004 he served a two-year ban for excessive levels of testosterone. (Photo: Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images)

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Steve Mullings - Steve Mullings received a lifetime ban in November 2011 after being found guilty of two doping offenses. The former Jamaican runner had won gold in the 4x100m at the 2009 World Championships. His career was cut short for using diuretic furosemide, a masking agent for other drugs in 2011. In 2004 he served a two-year ban for excessive levels of testosterone. (Photo: Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Ben Johnson - The Olympic committee sent Canadian runner Ben Johnson home from the Seoul games in 1988 after traces of an anabolic steroid was detected in a testing of his urine. Johnson was stripped of a gold medal he won in the 100m just days before. In January 1993 he tested positive again for steroids at an indoor track meeting in Montreal, which led to him being banned for life. (Photo: Tony Duffy/Getty Images)

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Ben Johnson - The Olympic committee sent Canadian runner Ben Johnson home from the Seoul games in 1988 after traces of an anabolic steroid was detected in a testing of his urine. Johnson was stripped of a gold medal he won in the 100m just days before. In January 1993 he tested positive again for steroids at an indoor track meeting in Montreal, which led to him being banned for life. (Photo: Tony Duffy/Getty Images)

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Michelle Collins - American sprinter Michelle Collins was handed an eight-year suspension for a doping violation and forfeited her wins in the 2003 indoor world and U.S titles in the 200 meters. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency found that Collins used a testosterone/epitestosterone cream and the steroid THG.(Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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Michelle Collins - American sprinter Michelle Collins was handed an eight-year suspension for a doping violation and forfeited her wins in the 2003 indoor world and U.S titles in the 200 meters. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency found that Collins used a testosterone/epitestosterone cream and the steroid THG.(Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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Debbie Dunn - Debbie Dunn withdrew from the London Olympics of 2012 after she tested positive for testosterone/epitestosterone. Dunn, won two gold medals for the 400 meter and 4x400 meter relay world championships in 2010, accepted a two-year ban which began on Aug. 1, 2012.(Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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Debbie Dunn - Debbie Dunn withdrew from the London Olympics of 2012 after she tested positive for testosterone/epitestosterone. Dunn, won two gold medals for the 400 meter and 4x400 meter relay world championships in 2010, accepted a two-year ban which began on Aug. 1, 2012.(Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Alvin Harrison - Alvin Harrison, 30, did not contest charges of a positive drug test in June 2004 by the USADA. Harrison, who won the silver medal in the 400 meters in Sydney and gold medals in the 4x400 relay at the 1996 and 200 medals, accepted a four-year ban for using performance-enhancing drugs including testosterone. (Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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Alvin Harrison - Alvin Harrison, 30, did not contest charges of a positive drug test in June 2004 by the USADA. Harrison, who won the silver medal in the 400 meters in Sydney and gold medals in the 4x400 relay at the 1996 and 200 medals, accepted a four-year ban for using performance-enhancing drugs including testosterone. (Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Calvin Harrison - Calvin Harrison handed the baton to Michael Johnson for the gold medal in the 4x400 meter relay in the 2000 games. But after he tested positive for using an illegal stimulant, all members of the team lost their medals. Reports in 2009 state Harrison spent his life savings fighting the suspension. After losing his job as a personal trainer during the recession he and his family became homeless in San Diego. (Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

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Calvin Harrison - Calvin Harrison handed the baton to Michael Johnson for the gold medal in the 4x400 meter relay in the 2000 games. But after he tested positive for using an illegal stimulant, all members of the team lost their medals. Reports in 2009 state Harrison spent his life savings fighting the suspension. After losing his job as a personal trainer during the recession he and his family became homeless in San Diego. (Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Simone Alves da Silva - Simone Alves da Silva of Brazil was hoping to represent her country when the Olympics came to Rio in 2016. But after failing her second drug test, the record-breaking long-distance runner was given a five-year ban by the IAAF in March 2011. She will not be able to compete again until October 2016. Silva was first banned from December 2010 to February 2011 for using the stimulant oxilofrine. (Photo: WikiCommons) 

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Simone Alves da Silva - Simone Alves da Silva of Brazil was hoping to represent her country when the Olympics came to Rio in 2016. But after failing her second drug test, the record-breaking long-distance runner was given a five-year ban by the IAAF in March 2011. She will not be able to compete again until October 2016. Silva was first banned from December 2010 to February 2011 for using the stimulant oxilofrine. (Photo: WikiCommons)