We sadly now are used to hearing that different athletes have been banned from the Olympic games because they have used some kind of illegal drug to gain an advantage. Do you know who the first person was to be banned? Also, do you know what they were found guilty of using?
Surprisingly, the country of origin of the athlete was Sweden, and it was a pentathlete by the name of Hans-Gunnar Liljenwall. He was taking part in the 1968 games, and we should note that the new regulations surrounding the use of drugs only came into being in 1967. His actions led to the entire Swedish team being brought into disrepute, and his crime? He had drunk two beers.
It sounds amazing to find out that he was disqualified because of drinking two beers. He admitted that he did so to calm his nerves, so it was seen as being a doping violation as he was trying to stop being anxious so he could then perform better. It caused a huge scandal, but when you compare it to the things that go on today with the Olympics, then this is an absolute walk in the park.