Hey, It Wasn't My Fault
One problem with the drink-spiking explanation, however, is that some victims, including Johnson, were found to have steroid levels associated with long-term use. Another difficulty is that athletes who ingest steroids by mistake often fail to notice that they then perform at amazing, if not superhuman, levels. At the 1988 Olympics, Johnson bolted out of the starting blocks with astounding force. Korda, though complaining of an ankle injury at Wimbledon, "went up for a smash," according to an opponent, "like he was Michael Jordan."
Ken Caminiti, the Houston Astros third baseman who died young from a drug overdose, estimated that at least half of the major-leaguers used steroids. Former major-league star Jose Canseco estimated it was 85 percent. But let's not get cynical. Most of the problem probably comes from those diet supplements, nighttime visitors, and all that spiked Gatorade.
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