Hate the Player: The Ben Johnson Story

Three days after winning the gold medal in the 100 metres final at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson gave a positive drug test for the banned steroid stanozolol and was disqualified. This led to the Dubin Inquiry (1989), which uncovered widespread doping among Canadian athletes. ==Cast==

• Shamier Anderson as Ben Johnson • King Bach as Carl Lewis • Mark McKinney • Karen Robinson • Ennis Esmer • Kristian Bruun • Malaika Hennie Hamadi • Ryan Belleville • Darryl Hinds • Lisa Horner • Emma Hunter • Suresh John • Jonathan Langdon • Gita Miller • Andrew Phung • Dewshane Williams • Chelsea Green • Amber Balcaen ==Production==

The series was commissioned in June 2025 by Canadian network channel GameTV and streaming channel Paramount+. It is produced by New Metric Media with Bay Mills Studios. New Metric founder Mark Montefiore stated that the project was originally intended to be a drama series but that the "story kept getting more insane and more ridiculous" and Anthony Q. Farrell was brought in as a writer for a comedic slant. The show is produced with participation from Ben Johnson and is inspired by research conducted by author and journalist Mary Ormsby, who wrote the book World’s Fastest Man: The Incredible Life of Ben Johnson (2024). The cast is led by Shamier Anderson as Ben Johnson with King Bach as his American rival Carl Lewis, with the cast also including Mark McKinney, Karen Robinson, Ennis Esmer, Kristian Bruun, Malaika Hennie Hamadi, Ryan Belleville, Darryl Hinds, Lisa Horner, Emma Hunter, Suresh John, Jonathan Langdon, Gita Miller, Andrew Phung and Dewshane Williams. Filming locations included Dark Slope Studios. ==Broadcast==

The series premiered on GameTV and Paramount+ in 2026. == References ==