- George Astaphan
George Mario "Jamie" Sahely Chehin Astaphan, M.D.,
B.Sc. (May 22 ,1946 –August 18 ,2006 ) was aphysician who became infamous for giving steroids to thesprinter Ben Johnson.Dr. Astaphan was born on the island of
St. Kitts in theWest Indies . He attended universities inCanada where he received a BSc degree fromSir George Williams University (1967) inMontreal , and then graduated from theUniversity of Toronto 's Faculty of Medicine in 1971. He practiced medicine in various places inOntario, Canada : Warkworth, Campbellford, Scarborough, North York, andToronto .In 1988 he was accused of administering the
stanozolol which led Ben Johnson to lose his 100m Gold Medal. These allegations were never proven and Dr. Astaphan denied them for the next 18 years. As a result of the Dubin Inquiry, he was fined by theOntario College of Physicians and Surgeons in June 1991 and banned from practicing medicine in the province for 18 months.In 1994, after the plane he was flying on was diverted to
New York , he was charged for conspiracy to distribute steroids, conspiracy to acquire cocaine and conspiracy to distribute cocaine. After nearly two years in aFlorida prison without a trial, he was released with "time served" on the steroid charges but the Government had no case on the cocaine charges. After his release in late 1995, Astaphan returned to his nativeSt. Kitts and Nevis where he continued to practice medicine until his death.He died of a massive heart attack at home in St. Kitts. He is survived by his three children.
External links
* [http://www.kasta.co.uk/blog/?p=41 Astaphan's daughter on the death of her father]
* [http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-68-368-2036/arts_entertainment/frum/ CBC Interview with Barbara Frum following the Johnson incident]
* [http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1156111824623&call_pageid=968867503640&StarSource=RSS Astaphan fuelled Ben's run to gold]
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