Michael Johnson received 5 gold medals in an unimaginable profession as an Olympic athlete however he determined to return his last medal, and he has spoken out on that shock resolution
Legendary Olympic athlete Michael Johnson has revealed why he opted to a return his last gold medal. The American was an skilled sprinter which noticed him win a complete of 5 gold medals throughout a historic profession.
Johnson captured gold in three consecutive Olympic Video games, triumphing within the 4x400metre relay at Barcelona 1992, profitable each the 200 and 400 metres at Atlanta 1996 after which retaining the latter at Sydney 2000 whereas additionally reclaiming the 4x400metre relay crown.
The ultimate victory grew to become shrouded in controversy properly over a decade later, nevertheless, when his team-mate Antonio Pettigrew admitted to utilizing performance-enhancing medicine. Because of this, Johnson returned the ultimate of his 5 gold medals with the 58-year-old now explaining the way it feels to be referred to as a four-time gold medallist and why he did it.
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“I am use to it now,” he admitted to Jake Humphrey on the Excessive Efficiency Podcast. “If you consider it, I received the fifth of my 5 gold medals in Sydney 4x400m relay. I retired a five-time gold medallist. I feel i’ll be that for the remainder of my life as a result of I am not going to win anymore as I am retired.
“By no means thought I might find yourself going backwards. That thought by no means even entered my thoughts so it was seven years later that Antonio Pettigrew, who had additionally retired, admitted in a grand jury investigation into the BALCO medicine scandal that he had been dishonest and utilizing efficiency enhancing medicine throughout that point.
“He by no means examined constructive which tells you simply how intricate that course of the place folks had been dishonest however by no means bought caught.
“Had he not admitted nobody would have ever recognized. When he admitted to it, i used to be very disillusioned as I used to be related to that relay as one of many 4 staff members.
“I used to be actually upset as a result of with all due respect Jake, we may have received that relay with you, we did not want Antonio. We had been to date forward we may have had anybody on there.
“I’ve at all times been outspoken about doping in our sport nonetheless am and so simply did not need to have my identify related to that medal so I gave it again.
“It wasn’t a tough resolution. I knew it was the suitable factor to do. I did not need something to do with that. A little bit bit more durable within the sense that I knew they had been going to return after that medal and the US Olympic committee had been going to battle it. They might have had a greater likelihood preventing it if I used to be there.
“After I selected to not, it meant the opposite two staff members had been most likely not going to have a great likelihood however it was not that onerous for me. I used to be very indignant for some time as a result of I am now a four-time Olympic gold medallist not five-time and thru no fault of my very own.
“I did not know Antonio Pettigrew that properly, we had been rivals first. He was for a few years the No.1 ranked 400-metre runner. Me and him had been battling. He was world champion in 1991, so we had been at all times competing. I believed I knew him properly sufficient so I used to be stunned and indignant about that.
“And it bought sadder as a result of he ended up taking his personal life. It’s a kind of issues the place doping in our sport is one thing that’s at all times talked about.
“I feel our sport does a a lot better job than most at policing and anti-doping however our sport is extra prone to it as a result of there may be such a low barrier to get into it and it is price it to lots of people who develop up in conditions the place they do not have a lot and this might be their ticket out.
“I feel folks typically assume it’s simple to go and make that selection and I feel his complete scenario proves it’s not that simple and it is ended up devastating a complete household.”