Documentary Movie Reviews

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9.79* (2012)

Rate: 7
Viewed: 9/25

979
9/25: Ben Johnson versus Carl Lewis...1988 Seoul, Korea...the greatest 100 meters final in Olympics history.

And we know the rest of the story. 9.79* recreates the race and the controversy afterwards, but this is ESPN. The channel lies, obfuscates the truth, and doesn't tell every side of the story all the time. That's because it has to play nice with others in order to keep getting the TV deals and any other valuable content, especially from the NFL.

In truth, Carl Lewis cheated. In 1987, he wore braces (at age 26!) due to taking human growth hormone (HGH), hence his feminine looks. That's why Carl Lewis looked gay. The USA Track & Field (USATF) [formerly The Athletics Congress (TAC)] and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) knew all about it and went to great lengths to cover up everything because he was a huge cash cow. During the 1988 Olympics trials, Carl Lewis failed three drug tests for pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine and should've been banned from competing. Nearly all sprinters in the 100m finals were tested positive for drugs before or afterwards.

What does that mean? Calvin Smith was probably one of the two clean sprinters at the time and should've won the gold medal with the silver going to Robson da Silva. That's it. Six out of eight cheated to make into the 100m final of 1988 Olympics Games. The documentary just won't tell anyone that, so you're better off reading Richard Moore's The Dirtiest Race in History: Ben Johnson, Carl Lewis and the 1988 Olympic 100m Final. Carl Lewis once said, "Who cares I failed drug test?" But the idiot doesn't realize he helped ruin the sport for good along with Florence Griffith Joyner. Don't get me started with Usain Bolt...what he did is impossible without drugs.

All in all, you may enjoy watching 9.79*, but it's not the full story of what really went down.