50 stunning Olympic moments: Ben Johnson - in pictures

Having finished third in the 100m Olympic final in 1984 - a race won by Carl Lewis - Ben Johnson arrived at the 1988 Games in Seoul, South Korea, hoping to defeat his main rival on athletics' grandest stage Photograph: Popperfoto

In the run up to the Games, Johnson had established himself as the best male sprinter in the world - though his rivalry with Lewis became increasingly vitriolic after Lewis claimed many of his contemporaries were on drugs Photograph: Tony Duffy/Allsport

Johnson led the 100m final from the off, with Lewis straining to keep pace Photograph: Joe Patronite/ALLSPORT

Johnson crossed the line yards clear of Lewis, in second place, and Linford Christie, in third place, and recorded a new world record time of 9.79 seconds. But two days later the Canadian was found guilty of using anabolic steroids and stripped of his title Photograph: Simon Bruty/ALLSPORT

Johnson and his coach Charlie Francis (pictured) were castigated by the media, but Francis claimed that drug abuse was widespread and the pair were merely seeking to compete on an equal footing Photograph: Gary Hershorn/Reuters

While the race will always be remembered for Johnson's indescretion, five of his rivals were implicated in drug scandals during their careers Photograph: Bob Martin/Getty Images