Johnson will return Olympic gold


Five-times Olympic champion Michael Johnson says he will return the relay gold he won at the Sydney Games after a former team-mate admitted taking drugs.

Antonio Pettigrew, who together with Johnson won 4x400m relay for the United States at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, has admitted taking banned substances.

"I know that the medal was not fairly won and that it is dirty," Johnson told the Daily Telegraph.

"I will be returning it because I don't want it. I feel cheated and betrayed."

Pettigrew made his admission last month at the trial of Trevor Graham, coach of disgraced sprint trio Justin Gatlin, Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery.

The 40-year-old testified that Graham encouraged him to inject human growth hormone and EPO, both banned substances, from 1997.

His confession follows drugs bans on Alvin and Calvin Harrison as well as Jerome Young who were also members of the victorious US team.

Young, who ran in the heats but did not compete in the Sydney final, failed a drugs test prior to the Games but was allowed to compete because the American authorities had chosen not to take any action against him.

Calvin Harrison tested positive for a banned stimulant in 2003 and was suspended for two years while Alvin accepted a four-year ban in 2004 after admitting he using performance enhancers.

The 4x400m relay victory in 2000 was the fifth and final Olympic gold of Johnson's illustrious career.

The 40-year-old also won nine World Championship golds and still holds the world record in the 200m and 400m.

"The news that Antonio was expected to testify to having taken performance-enhancing drugs shocked me like no other drug-related story," added Johnson.

"Having received news over the past few years of many other athletes having cheated, I had reached a point of no longer being shocked. But this one was different, he was someone I considered a friend.

"As for that gold medal I won with Antonio, Alvin and Calvin, who have all admitted to or have tested positive for drugs since 2000 when we won the medal, I'm sure that there will be calls for us to give it back.

"I know that the medal was not fairly won and so I have moved it from the location where I have always kept my medals because it doesn't belong there, and it doesn't belong to me."


BBC SPORT | Olympics | Athletics | Johnson will return Olympic gold

A Qunintet full of Drugies ...funny with all that Juice they still couldn't touch the man..