After Deprivation

In Al-Risala (December 1988), the story of Canadian athlete Ben Johnson (b. 1961) was published. In the world championship race, he won first place with great success. However, the very next day, his gold medal was taken away, and a harsh decision was announced: he would be barred from all competitions for the next two years. For Ben Johnson, this was the greatest setback of his life. But he did not waste time protesting against the “unjust judges.” Instead, he immediately began to plan anew for his training. In November 1988, Italy’s television network filmed an interview at his residence in Toronto, which was later reported in newspapers. According to The Times of India (29 November 1988), the world champion sprinter wept as he told the television camera that he had never knowingly broken any sporting rule. Yet he continued his training and dreamed of returning at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. He said that his athletic record on the track was the result of thirteen years of continuous hard work. He appeared visibly distressed. Remembering the painful moments after the Seoul Olympics, he broke down in tears. Interviewer Gianni Minoli said that filming had to be stopped for five minutes because Ben Johnson could not control his sobbing. Johnson explained that to get back on track, he trains six days a week, four hours a day. He said: “My work is only