by Vincent LeVine

Created on: January 06, 2009

In 1932 Stella Walsh won Olympic gold representing her native Poland in the 100 meters. Born in Poland in 1911 as Stanlislawa Walasiewiczowna, Walsh's name was changed shortly after immigrating to Cleveland at two years old. Walsh's career included 20 women's track and field world records, 41 AAU titles, earning her a 1975 induction into the U.S. Track and Field Hall of Fame. An autopsy performed after her accidental death in 1980, revealed she had both female and male chromosomes, and male genitilia. One of the greatest female track stars had actually been a man!

The Mitchell Report was not quite as revealing, but added credibility to what former baseball slugger turned author, Jose Canseco, wrote about in his first book Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits, and How Baseball Got Big; steroid use is rampant in sports. The bottom line, we all want an edge and some of us are willing to do anything to get it, even cheat.

In 1988 Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson, nicknamed "The Fastest Man Alive", tested positive for Stanozolol and was forced to surrender two bronze and one gold medal. Johnson later admitted using steroids when setting his world record in 1987 and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) quickly rescinded that, too. When the cinder dust settled at the Olympic training facility, Johnson's track coach Charlie Francais admitted Johnson had been using since 1981 as were most competitive athletes. Johnson was banned from competitive track for life in 1993 when mandatory blood tests revealed he had an illegal level of testosterone.

One of the most celebrated female athletes Marion Jones, "The Fastest Woman in the World", recently admitted to being both a liar and a cheat. Reading a court statement, eyes welled with tears, Jones begged forgiveness for her steroid use and many public denials; and speaking to her former supporters, she admitted "I betrayed your trust". After winning three gold and two bronze medals at the 2000 Olympics, Jones began making upwards of $70,000 a race and millions in endorsements. After testing positive for EPO in 2006, Jones confessed her use of Performance Enhancers, beginning in 2000. She has sold her 2.5 million dollar home near Michael Jordan's, and is broke. On March 7th she surrendered to authorities and began a six month sentence for perjury in a check fraud scheme and her use of performance enhancing drugs. In addition to forfeiting all her medals, the IOC just ruled that six relay teammates in the 2000 Olympics

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