BALCO scandal

The BALCO scandal involved the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO), which supplied illegal performance-enhancing drugs to top athletes, including Olympic sprinters and bodybuilders, between the late 1990s and early 2000s. The operation supplied substances like steroids and human growth hormone to improve athletic performance unfairly. Investigations uncovered widespread doping, leading to arrests, criminal charges, and the disqualification of several athletes. The scandal highlighted issues of doping in sports, raising questions about fairness and integrity in competitive athletics, and prompted stricter drug testing protocols.