THE SEOUL GAMES / DAY 14 : Johnson’s Agent Denied Entry to Home

Ben Johnson’s international agent, who reportedly arranged an exclusive interview with a West German magazine, was refused entry to the Canadian sprinter’s home Thursday.

“Ben, let me in--open the door,” New York agent Larry Heidebrecht pleaded at the front entry of the Johnson family’s suburban home. “Ben, I’ve got to talk to you.”

Officials at the Seoul Olympics stripped Johnson of his gold medal from Saturday’s 100-meter race--run in a world-record time of 9.79 seconds--and nullified his time when he tested positive for the steroid stanozolol.

Heidebrecht entered an enclosed porch to try to get into the house. But the door remained shut and Heidebrecht was forced to retreat through a crush of reporters and cameramen.

He refused comment.

Johnson’s physician, Dr Jamie Astaphan, entered the home a short time later.

Michael Juergs, editor-in-chief of the West German weekly magazine Stern, said Thursday that Heidebrecht had signed a contract, giving his magazine the exclusive rights to Johnson’s story of what happened in Seoul.

Juergs declined to say how much it would pay Johnson.