Ben Johnson's rise and fall still casts long shadow

By Mike Collett LONDON (Reuters) - A few weeks before the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, Ben Johnson's race against Carl Lewis over 100 meters in Zurich was one of the most eagerly awaited sporting events of the year. Two decades later the three fastest men on the track, Jamaicans Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell and American Tyson Gay, race in London this weekend also only weeks before an Olympic Games. But in total contrast to the days when track and field still entranced the sporting world, it is no exaggeration to say that the only people excited by their visit to Crystal Palace are true athletics fans. The reason is the legacy of the Seoul Olympic 100 meters final when Johnson defeated Lewis in world record time and then tested positive for drugs. In 1988, the world's media were captivated by the intense rivalry between Johnson,... [read full story]