The 17 Biggest Steroid Scandals in Sports

Published: December 5, 2024
Author: Steven Stiles
Category: Sports

Openverse

The use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), particularly steroids, has long been one of the most controversial topics in sports. In fact, over the years, many of the biggest names in sports have been linked to steroid scandals, so here’s a look at the most infamous steroid scandals in sports history.

Rafael Palmeiro

Baseball star Rafael Palmeiro famously wagged his finger at Congress in 2005, denying steroid use, only to test positive for PEDs later that year.

Chris Benoit and WWE

Steroid use in professional wrestling is nothing new, but Chris Benoit’s tragic death in 2007 raised questions about whether or not there should be harsher policies surrounding PED use. In fact, Benoit’s autopsy revealed heavy steroid use.

Ben Johnson

Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson was stripped of his 1988 Olympic gold medal after testing positive for the steroid stanozolol.

East German Olympic Teams

In the 1970s and ’80s, East German athletes dominated Olympic sports, but it was later revealed that they were a part of a state-sponsored doping program.

Diego Maradona

Soccer icon Diego Maradona tested positive for PEDs during the 1994 World Cup, which has tarnished his reputation in the eyes of some.

Mark McGwire

Mark McGwire’s thrilling home run race with Sammy Sosa in 1998 captivated baseball fans, but in 2010 he admitted to using steroids throughout his career.

Tyson Gay

American sprinter Tyson Gay was a world champion and one of the fastest men in history, but in 2013, he tested positive for steroids. He was then suspended and stripped of his 2012 Olympic silver medal.

Roger Clemens

Legendary MLB pitcher Roger Clemens was named in the Mitchell Report, which detailed widespread steroid use in baseball. While he denied the allegations, his reputation has never fully recovered.

Sammy Sosa

Sammy Sosa’s transformation from a lean outfielder to a power-hitting slugger during his career raised suspicions of PED use, and a 2003 New York Times report alleged he tested positive for steroids.

Russian Doping Scandal

Russia’s state-sponsored doping program affected dozens of athletes across multiple sports. In fact, a whistleblower revealed that Russian officials tamped with drug tests at the 2014 Olympics.

Alex Rodriguez

A-Rod is one of MLB’s most talented players, but his legacy is tainted by two steroid scandals. In 2009, he admitted to using PEDs while with the Texas Rangers, and in 2014, he was suspended for the entire MLB season following the Biogenesis scandal.

Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong’s story of overcoming cancer and winning seven consecutive Tour de France titles inspired millions, that is until it was revealed that he had been doping for years. Armstrong eventually admitted to using PEDs in a 2013 interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Jose Canseco

Jose Canseco not only admitted to using steroids, but he also blew the whistle on MLB’s steroid culture with his controversial book Juiced. In fact, he claimed that up to 85% of MLB players were using PEDs at the time.

Justin Gatlin

Justin Gatlin has been banned twice for doping violations, yet he remains one of the most successful athletes in track and field.

Floyd Landis

Floyd Landis won the 2006 Tour de France but was stripped of the title after testing positive for synthetic testosterone. Then, following the positive test, Landis became a whistleblower in the Lance Armstrong scandal.

Barry Bonds

There’s no question Barry Bonds is one of the greatest hitters in baseball history, but his achievements are clouded by allegations of steroid use. Bonds was implicated in the BALCO scandal, and though he denied knowingly taking steroids, he was later convicted of obstruction of justice.

Marion Jones

The Olympic sprinter and track-and-field star admitted to using steroids as part of the BALCO scandal. She was then stripped of her five Olympic medals from the 2000 Sydney Games and served six months in prison for lying to federal investigators.