Exorcizing The Ghost: Donovan Bailey, Ben Johnson And The Politics Of Canadian Identity  

Oleh:

Jackson, Steve

Jenis: Article from Journal - ilmiah internasional
Dalam koleksi: Media, Culture & Society vol. 26 no. 1 (Jan. 2004), page 121-141.
Fulltext: 121MCS261.pdf (106.55KB)

Isi artikel

This article focuses on one metaphoric ghost of Olympics past, namely Ben Johnson, and his influence upon the contemporary politics of racial and national identity in Canada. In particular, the study examines the impact of Johnson’s legacy on Donovan Bailey, the man Canadians looked to for redemption in the years following the steroid scandal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. One of Canada’s most celebrated athletes during the 1990s, Bailey retired following the 2001World Track and Field Championships under less than ideal circumstances fighting age, injury and a loss of popularity. The height of his career was the 1996 Olympics when he won two gold medals and set a world record in the 100-metre event making him the fastest man on earth. Yet, despite all his achievements, Bailey has lived with the haunting legacy of Ben Johnson, the man who arguably brought all Canadian Olympic athletes under suspicion following his positive drug test at the 1988 Olympics. Highlighting Donovan Bailey’s experience may provide insights into the much more pervasive problem facing black people in contemporary Canada. To begin, I return to the infamous 1988 event that inscribed Ben Johnson and Canada on the world’s collective memory.

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