Francis Suggests Random, Unannounced Drug Tests

Johnson’s coach, Charlie Francis, ended 29 hours of testimony Friday before the Canadian government’s commission of inquiry into drug use by athletes with a suggestion that only random, unannounced testing during training periods will eliminate anabolic steroids and other banned substances from track and field.

In questioning Francis, the commission’s chairman, Ontario associate chief justice Charles L. Dubin, theorized that Canada’s system of federally funding athletes is at the root of the problem. Many Canadian athletes receive monthly payments, the amount increasing in accordance with their international rankings.

Francis, who competed as a sprinter for Canada in the 1972 Olympic Games, disagreed.

“Athletes today are in the same position I was,” he said. “There was no funding in my day. Yet, I chose to use steroids (in 1973) because I wanted to compete. You have to consider the fact that athletes are very highly motivated individuals.”

When Dubin said that cheating in sports leads to cheating later in life in other endeavors, Francis defended athletes and coaches.

“They don’t want to be in this situation,” he said. “It’s a dilemma created by the structure of the sport rather than the athletes and coaches who are in it. They want to compete on a level playing field, but it’s not possible to do that without drugs at this time.

“I love this sport, and I would love to see it cleaned up.”