Butch Reynolds
Encyclopedia
Harry "Butch" Reynolds is an American
former track and field
athlete who competed in the 400 meter dash. He held the world record for the event for eleven years with his personal best time of 43.29 seconds set in 1988. That year he was the silver medal
ist at the 1988 Seoul Olympics (behind Steve Lewis
) and a relay gold medalist. He was banned for drug use for two years by the IAAF, following an unsuccessful legal appeal.
On his competitive return he became the 1993 World Indoor Champion and won two successive 400 m silver medals at the World Championships in Athletics. He also enjoyed success with the 4×400 meter relay team, winning the world title three times in his career with the United States (1987, 1993, 1995). His team's time of 2:54.29 minutes at the 1993 World Championships in Athletics
is the current world record. Reynolds remains the second fastest of all-time in the 400 m after Michael Johnson
.
. On August 17, 1988 he set a 400 meters world record with 43.29 seconds, smashing Lee Evans'
19-years-and-10-months old world record
by 0.57 seconds. This record stood for eleven years and was broken by Michael Johnson
(43.18) in August 1999—the current world record. Reynolds remains the second fastest of all-time over the distance and Olympic champions Jeremy Wariner
, Quincy Watts
and LaShawn Merritt
are the only others to have come within a half a second of his best mark.
He won a silver medal in the 1988 Summer Olympics
in the 400 meters and a gold medal in the 4 x 400 m relay. In the IAAF World Championships in Athletics
he won a bronze medal in 1987
, and silver medals in 1993
and 1995
. He also won gold medals on the 4 x 400 metre relays in 1987
, 1993
and 1995
. The 1993 World Championship team with Andrew Valmon
, Watts and Johnson still holds the World Record for the relay.
In the 1996 American Olympic trials
he finished second behind Michael Johnson
, clocking 43.91, the fastest non-winning 400 meters performance ever. However, in the 1996 Summer Olympics
semifinal, he suffered a hamstring injury, failed to qualify for the final, and also had to withdraw from the relay team.
He retired after the 1999 season. Reynolds has since established the Butch Reynolds Care for Kids Foundation and was the speed coach for the Ohio State University
football team up until his resignation in April, 2008.
to allow him to participate in the 1992 American Olympic trials, after finding the testing procedures were flawed from the beginning. Testers had marked specimen "H6" as testing positive while Reynolds urine specimen was "H5". Lab director Jean-Pierre LaFarge claimed in court that, in spite of the markings, the technician had told him that specimen "H5" was the positive one. Yet "H6" was circled on two separate documents by the technician.
This injunction brought American law and equity into conflict with the rules of International Olympic Committee
(IOC) and International Association of Athletics Federations
(IAAF), which prohibited suspended athletes from competing. In fact, the IAAF threatened to suspend any athlete that competed against Butch Reynolds. The American Olympic trial 400 meters heats were postponed for four days, but the IAAF finally backed down. Reynolds finished 5th in the trials, and qualified for a place as a substitute on the American 4 x 400 meters relay team. However, the IAAF (which had administered the flawed test) then banned him from competing in the 1992 Olympics.
That same year Reynolds also won a libel suit against the IAAF, and was awarded $27.3 million in damages. The IAAF stated that the ruling, made in Ohio, had no bearing upon the organisation and was invalid. A federal appeals panel later overturned the verdict on jurisdictional grounds.
Reynolds alleged when he threatened to seek a judicial review, he was warned that if he did, the IAAF would seek a bigger penalty to prevent participation in the following Olympic Games.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete who competed in the 400 meter dash. He held the world record for the event for eleven years with his personal best time of 43.29 seconds set in 1988. That year he was the silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
ist at the 1988 Seoul Olympics (behind Steve Lewis
Steve Lewis (sprinter)
Steven Earl Lewis is a former American track and field athlete, winner of three gold medals at the 1988 Summer Olympics and 1992 Summer Olympics....
) and a relay gold medalist. He was banned for drug use for two years by the IAAF, following an unsuccessful legal appeal.
On his competitive return he became the 1993 World Indoor Champion and won two successive 400 m silver medals at the World Championships in Athletics. He also enjoyed success with the 4×400 meter relay team, winning the world title three times in his career with the United States (1987, 1993, 1995). His team's time of 2:54.29 minutes at the 1993 World Championships in Athletics
1993 World Championships in Athletics
The 4th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held in the Gottlieb Daimler Stadium, Stuttgart, Germany between August 13 and August 22 with the participation of 187 nations....
is the current world record. Reynolds remains the second fastest of all-time in the 400 m after Michael Johnson
Michael Johnson (athlete)
Michael Duane Johnson is a retired American sprinter. He won four Olympic gold medals and eight world championship gold medals. Johnson currently holds the world and Olympic records in the 400 m and 4 x 400 meters relay. He formerly held the world and Olympic record in the 200 m, and the world...
.
Career
Reynolds was born in Akron, OhioAkron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
. On August 17, 1988 he set a 400 meters world record with 43.29 seconds, smashing Lee Evans'
Lee Evans (athlete)
Lee Edward Evans is a former American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1968 Summer Olympics....
19-years-and-10-months old world record
World record progression 400 metres men
The first world record in the 400 m for men was recognized by the International Amateur Athletics Federation, now known as the International Association of Athletics Federations, in 1912...
by 0.57 seconds. This record stood for eleven years and was broken by Michael Johnson
Michael Johnson (athlete)
Michael Duane Johnson is a retired American sprinter. He won four Olympic gold medals and eight world championship gold medals. Johnson currently holds the world and Olympic records in the 400 m and 4 x 400 meters relay. He formerly held the world and Olympic record in the 200 m, and the world...
(43.18) in August 1999—the current world record. Reynolds remains the second fastest of all-time over the distance and Olympic champions Jeremy Wariner
Jeremy Wariner
Jeremy Mathew Wariner is an American track athlete specializing in the 400 meters. He has won four Olympic medals and six World Championships medals...
, Quincy Watts
Quincy Watts
Quincy D. Watts is a former American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1992 Summer Olympics.Born in Detroit, Michigan, Quincy Watts attended the University of Southern California where he excelled not only as an athlete but also as a wide receiver on the college football team...
and LaShawn Merritt
LaShawn Merritt
LaShawn Merritt is an American track and field athlete who competes in sprinting events, specializing in the 400 meters. He is the reigning Olympic champion over the distance and his personal best of 43.75 seconds makes him the fifth fastest of all time...
are the only others to have come within a half a second of his best mark.
He won a silver medal in the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in the 400 meters and a gold medal in the 4 x 400 m relay. In the IAAF World Championships in Athletics
IAAF World Championships in Athletics
The World Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations . Originally, it was organised every four years, but this changed in 1991, and it has since been organised biennially.-History:...
he won a bronze medal in 1987
1987 World Championships in Athletics
The 2nd World Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy between August 28 and September 6, 1987.-Track:1983 | 1987 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995...
, and silver medals in 1993
1993 World Championships in Athletics
The 4th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held in the Gottlieb Daimler Stadium, Stuttgart, Germany between August 13 and August 22 with the participation of 187 nations....
and 1995
1995 World Championships in Athletics
The 5th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Ullevi Stadium, Gothenburg, Sweden between August 5 and August 13.This edition featured 1804 athletes from 191 nations....
. He also won gold medals on the 4 x 400 metre relays in 1987
1987 World Championships in Athletics
The 2nd World Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy between August 28 and September 6, 1987.-Track:1983 | 1987 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995...
, 1993
1993 World Championships in Athletics
The 4th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held in the Gottlieb Daimler Stadium, Stuttgart, Germany between August 13 and August 22 with the participation of 187 nations....
and 1995
1995 World Championships in Athletics
The 5th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Ullevi Stadium, Gothenburg, Sweden between August 5 and August 13.This edition featured 1804 athletes from 191 nations....
. The 1993 World Championship team with Andrew Valmon
Andrew Valmon
Andrew Orlando Valmon is an American former 400 meters runner.Valmon was born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Manchester Township, New Jersey. He attended college at Seton Hall University and graduated in 1987 with a degree in communications.Valmon won the silver medal at the World Indoor...
, Watts and Johnson still holds the World Record for the relay.
In the 1996 American Olympic trials
United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
The United States Olympic Trials for the sport of Track and Field is the quadrennial meet to select the United States representatives at the Olympic Games. Since 1992, the meet has also served as the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Because of the depth of competition in some events,...
he finished second behind Michael Johnson
Michael Johnson (athlete)
Michael Duane Johnson is a retired American sprinter. He won four Olympic gold medals and eight world championship gold medals. Johnson currently holds the world and Olympic records in the 400 m and 4 x 400 meters relay. He formerly held the world and Olympic record in the 200 m, and the world...
, clocking 43.91, the fastest non-winning 400 meters performance ever. However, in the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
semifinal, he suffered a hamstring injury, failed to qualify for the final, and also had to withdraw from the relay team.
He retired after the 1999 season. Reynolds has since established the Butch Reynolds Care for Kids Foundation and was the speed coach for the Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
football team up until his resignation in April, 2008.
Drug suspension
Butch Reynolds was suspended for two years by the IAAF for alleged illegal drug use in 1990. This was the start of a long legal fight, after which the US Supreme Court ordered the United States Olympic CommitteeUnited States Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic Committee is a non-profit organization that serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and coordinates the relationship between the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency and various...
to allow him to participate in the 1992 American Olympic trials, after finding the testing procedures were flawed from the beginning. Testers had marked specimen "H6" as testing positive while Reynolds urine specimen was "H5". Lab director Jean-Pierre LaFarge claimed in court that, in spite of the markings, the technician had told him that specimen "H5" was the positive one. Yet "H6" was circled on two separate documents by the technician.
This injunction brought American law and equity into conflict with the rules of International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
(IOC) and International Association of Athletics Federations
International Association of Athletics Federations
The International Association of Athletics Federations is the international governing body for the sport of athletics. It was founded in 1912 at its first congress in Stockholm, Sweden by representatives from 17 national athletics federations as the International Amateur Athletics Federation...
(IAAF), which prohibited suspended athletes from competing. In fact, the IAAF threatened to suspend any athlete that competed against Butch Reynolds. The American Olympic trial 400 meters heats were postponed for four days, but the IAAF finally backed down. Reynolds finished 5th in the trials, and qualified for a place as a substitute on the American 4 x 400 meters relay team. However, the IAAF (which had administered the flawed test) then banned him from competing in the 1992 Olympics.
That same year Reynolds also won a libel suit against the IAAF, and was awarded $27.3 million in damages. The IAAF stated that the ruling, made in Ohio, had no bearing upon the organisation and was invalid. A federal appeals panel later overturned the verdict on jurisdictional grounds.
Reynolds alleged when he threatened to seek a judicial review, he was warned that if he did, the IAAF would seek a bigger penalty to prevent participation in the following Olympic Games.