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Usain Bolt is one of the athletes who have ran faster than 9.77 seconds but was never involved in a doping scandal, but who are the sprinters that were sanctioned for cheating?
To many track and field fans, the 100m race is the crown jewel of the sport because it churns out the fastest human beings on the planet.
Although it takes a matter of seconds, it leaves a rush of adrenaline through their systems, considering the drama it brings to the fold in that period of time from the moment the gun fires to the second the sprinters get over the 100m line.
The event is usually so detail-oriented, as every second counts, therefore, everything counts. How the sprinter gets off the block, their reaction time, their drive phase, their top end speed, how they maintain their speed endurance and more.
Usain Bolt, the legendary sprinter, still holds the world record with his staggering 9.58 seconds in 2009. Only eight athletes have ever broken the 9.77-second barrier.
Yet, the pursuit of speed has not come without controversy. Out of these eight, five have faced doping bans, casting a shadow over their remarkable achievements. Here’s a look at these five sprinters whose extraordinary times were tainted by doping violations.
Pulse Sports takes a look at the other five sprinters who have served doping bans,
1. Tyson Gay
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Tyson Gay shares the title of the second-fastest man in history with Yohan Blake, having clocked an astonishing 9.69 seconds at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix on September 20, 2009.
This remarkable feat matched Usain Bolt's time from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, solidifying Gay's place among the sprinting elite.
However, in 2013, Gay's career was marred by a doping scandal when an exogenous anabolic steroid was detected in his system.
He cooperated with authorities, leading to a reduced one-year ban. As a result, all of his results from July 15, 2012, to April 7, 2013, were nullified, including the silver medal he won with the U.S. 4x100m relay team at the 2012 Olympics.
Despite the setback, Gay returned to the track, competing in both the 2015 World Championships and the 2016 Rio Olympics.
2. Yohan Blake
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Before Yohan Blake became a global sprinting sensation, he served a three-month doping ban in 2009 for 4-methyl-2-hexanamine, a stimulant.
At the time, Blake was still a teenager, yet to make his mark on the international stage. His redemption came in 2011 when he claimed the 100m world title in Daegu, South Korea.
Blake's prowess was on full display at the 2012 London Olympics, where he won silver in both the 100m and 200m, along with a gold in the 4x100m relay.
On August 23, 2012, Blake matched Tyson Gay's 9.69 seconds at the Lausanne Diamond League, cementing his status as the second-fastest man in history, trailing only Bolt.
3. Justin Gatlin
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Justin Gatlin's rivalry with Usain Bolt made headlines, but his career was overshadowed by two doping violations.
The first, in 2001, came when Gatlin tested positive for amphetamines, a substance he had been taking since childhood for attention deficit disorder. His initial two-year ban was reduced upon appeal, allowing him to continue competing at the NCAA level.
However, Gatlin's troubles resurfaced in 2006, after he had claimed Olympic gold in the 100m and World Championship titles in both the 100m and 200m.
A positive test for testosterone or its precursor led to an eight-year ban, later reduced to four years due to his cooperation with doping authorities. His 9.77-second performance was subsequently annulled, further tarnishing his legacy.
Gatlin did, however, make good use of his return to the track in 2010 as he was determined to cross the ts over his tainted legacy.
He cemented his place as one of the greatest sprinters in the world as he improved his personal best to 9.74 seconds at the Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix in 2015.
4. Christian Coleman
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Christian Coleman, considered the greatest 100m starter of all time, was handed an 18-month ban in 2020 for missing one of his three scheduled drug tests in 2019.
Coleman claimed he was out Christmas shopping during the test window, but investigators found inconsistencies in his account. His explanation was rejected, and he was banned until May 2022.
Coleman's personal best of 9.76 seconds, set at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, ranks as the sixth-fastest time ever recorded.
Despite his suspension, Coleman remains one of the fastest men in history and the third-fastest American of all time.
5. Asafa Powell
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Asafa Powell, a former world record holder, faced a six-month ban in 2013 after testing positive for oxilofrine, a stimulant found in a contaminated supplement. Initially handed an 18-month suspension, Powell successfully appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which reduced his ban.
Powell's career was defined by his blistering times of 9.77 and 9.74, which made him the 100m world record holder between 2005 and 2008. He also holds the distinction of breaking the 10-second barrier more times than any other sprinter in history.
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