Doctor Blames Johnson for Failing Drug Test : Track Star Took Steroids in Addition to Those Prescribed for Him, Canadian Inquiry Told

Ben Johnson was probably to blame for failing his drug test at last year’s Seoul Olympics by taking steroids in addition to those prescribed for him, his doctor testified today.

Dr. Jamie Astaphan told a government inquiry into the use of drugs in sport that he did not believe Johnson was honest with his handlers after he was told he had failed a drug test and would be stripped of his 100 meters gold medal.

Verifying testimony given by other witnesses earlier in the hearing, Astaphan said he repeatedly asked Johnson whether he had taken any banned substances other than those given to several Canadian athletes.

“I said, ‘Did you take any pink tablets from anyone?’ ” Astaphan said.

“From the look on Ben’s face, I knew he was lying,” said Astaphan, who has admitted providing anabolic steroids to Johnson since 1984. “He had a sheepish look . . . as though he had done something.”

The doctor said he asked about pink tablets because that is what stanozolol would look like, not from any other suspicion.

Astaphan told the inquiry that he injected Johnson with the steroid furazabol as late as Aug. 28. But he denied that diuretics, a honey and vinegar beverage and mechanical treatments ordered afterward were to speed the cleansing of the steroid from Johnson’s system.

“I know about anabolic steroids and the way to beat any test,” Astaphan said. “I can do it quite legally.”

He said seven prescription drugs available in Canada could have been used to mask the steroid if that had been necessary.

Astaphan also said he did not believe Johnson’s coach, Charlie Francis, when he called with the news of a positive test.

“I thought Charlie was just up to some high jinks,” Astaphan said. “He said he wasn’t kidding. . . . I told him that’s impossible.”

Astaphan was staying at the Hilton in Seoul, several rooms away from Johnson’s.

Rigorous Summer Schedule

Earlier, Astaphan said Johnson and other Canadian track and field stars went on a crash program of banned substances to build them up for the Seoul Games.

Astaphan, in his second day of testimony, said Johnson, sprinters Angella Issajenko and Desai Williams and hurdler Mark McKoy needed steroids and human growth hormone, both banned, to regain their strength after a rigorous summer schedule.