History of Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sport – 1960-1989

The history of Sport doping has changed dramatically since 776 BC. Possibly due to better record keeping and technology, reports of athletes’ deaths and their links to doping became much more evident. Because of this, rules banning substances such as anabolic steroids were put in place for the safety of athletes and the integrity of sports. During this time period, the banned substances list grew and drug testing was slowly becoming the norm. Toward the end of this time period, athletes were beginning to be caught for doping and in some cases lost their medals.

1960

A Danish cyclist, Knut Jenson, died at the Rome Summer Olympics during a 100km team time trial race. 

1967

Cyclist on Amphetamines is the first Tour de France Doping Death / IOC establishes medical commission to fight doping

Tommy Simpson’s death created pressure for sporting agencies to take action against doping. The IOC then established the medical commission in hopes of fighting against doping in sports.

1968

Banned substances in 1967 included narcotic analgesics and stimulants, including sympathomimetic amines, psychomotor stimulants and other miscellaneous central nervous system stimulants, even including alcohol. The first drug testing took place prior to the 1968 Olympic Games. Though it was suspected that anabolic steroids were being used, testing methods were insufficient during this time.

In the 1968 Winter Olympics 86 individuals were drug tested and none of the athletes tested positive.

In the 1968 Summer Olympics 667 individuals were drug tested and only one athlete tested positive. That athlete was then disqualified for the doping violation; he was also the first Olympic athlete to be disqualified.

1972

As of 1972, the Olympics had their first full-scale drug testing for narcotics and stimulants where 2,079 athletes were tested and 7 athletes were disqualified.

1975

By 1975 a test reliable enough to test for anabolic steroids was develop and anabolic steroids were then added to the IOC’s list of banned substances. The following year 786 athletes were tested prior to the Olympic games and 11 athletes tested positive for banned substances.

1976

Anabolic steroids added to IOC’s banned substances list / Steroid testing conducted for the first time at the Montreal Olympics

1988

Ben Johnson Stripped of gold medal after positive drug test / President Reagan signs act outlawing non-medical steroid sales. Ben Johnson tested positively for anabolic steroids twice, once in 1988 and again in 1993. Though, he argued he had not known he ingested the drug as his drink was spiked.

To combat against the war on drugs, President Reagan signed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988.