document: Ben Johnson , the world-class sprinter knocked off track and field 's pedestal after testing positive for steroids , says it 's wrong for athletes to use the muscle-building substance . `` I got caught in Seoul . I lost my gold medal , '' the Canadian told reporters as legislation to classify anabolic steroids as a controlled substance was introduced Thursday . `` I 'm here to tell the people of this country it 's wrong to cheat , not to take it , it 's bad for your health . '' Watching Johnson was his chief nemesis : Carl Lewis , the man who was awarded the Olympic gold medals Johnson lost . `` I think it 's great , '' Lewis said of the legislation . `` They 're making a move and it 's very positive . I 'm happy to see it . '' However , the flamboyant , pony-tailed Lewis told reporters : `` I do n't understand why Ben Johnson 's here . '' Lewis said he attended the news conference because he was working on his autobiography and one of the chapters deals with steroids . He said he did n't intend to upstage Johnson . Reps. Mel Levine , D-Calif. , Henry Waxman , D-Calif. , and Benjamin Gilman , R-N.Y. , invited Johnson to attend as they presented the legislation that would make anabolic steroids a controlled substance , similar to the designation given cocaine and heroin . The lawmakers emphasized the increasing abuse of steroids by college , high school and even junior high school athletes who believe the substance will enhance their performance . `` America is about to have an adolescent time-bomb explode in its hands , '' Levine said . `` But if we act quickly enough to restrict steroid distribution , and to increase the penalties for illicit distribution , we can prevent this plague from spreading . '' Levine referred to the abuse of steroids as `` the silent side of the drug disease in this country . '' He applauded Johnson 's courage for attending the news conference . Johnson later stepped up to the microphones and in a quiet voice with a slight stutter told other athletes not to make the same mistake he did , urging them `` to come forward , to come clean . '' Lewis dismissed reporters ' questions that he had used steroids , indicating he would be willing to run against Johnson `` if he comes back and he 's clean . '' While Lewis held the spotlight , Johnson slipped away to adjoining congressional offices . `` He 's not here to compete with Carl Lewis . I hope he will someday , '' said Ed Futerman , Johnson 's lawyer .
extractive_keyphrases: ben johnson seoul gold medal canadian anabolic steroids controlled substance
abstractive_keyphrases: world-class sprinter