A 90min ‘no-holds barred film’ on the 1992 Olympic 100m champion will be shown on BBC1 and iPlayer later this year
Linford Christie is set to talk exclusively about the highs and lows of his athletics career – from the glory of winning Olympic gold to the impact of failing a drugs test after coming out of retirement – in a lengthy new BBC documentary.
The 1992 Olympic and 1993 world 100m gold medallist enjoyed a rollercoaster career and remains one of Britain’s best-known athletes. His life has not been without controversy, though.
“I was born to run and regardless of whatever obstacles they threw in my way, it never stopped my belief,” he says. “I was never the fastest, I just made everyone else believe that I was. I never focussed on the last race, always on the next one, which is why this documentary has been something completely different for me as it has made me reflect on all aspects of my career.”
Simon Young from BBC says: “In the late 1980s and ’90s Linford Christie was Britain’s most famous and fêted athlete. His career isn’t just a fascinating window into the pressures of sporting success, but an insight into an era when casual objectification and racism were unbound. That uncomfortable history – and the fact that he has chosen to break his silence after 20 years – makes this documentary a unique exploration of a sporting icon and his legacy.”
Ron Roddan and Linford Christie (Mark Shearman)
The documentary producers say: “His journey has been far from plain sailing. Linford suffered harassment by the police and sexual objectification by the media, in an era of unchecked racism and tabloid power.”
The 64-year-old is also set to talk about his positive test for nandrolone, which took place after his competitive career finished.
It is, BBC say, “a cautionary tale of how an illustrious career can be brought low by a single moment. With unprecedented access and never before seen archive, this nostalgic and revelatory documentary examines the life story of a man who took on the world.”
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