Tony Sharpe

Tony Sharpe

Medal record
Men’s athletics
Representing Canada
Olympic Games
	1984 Los Angeles	4×100 m relay
Commonwealth Games
	1982 Brisbane	4×100 m relay

Tony Sharpe (born on 26 June 1961 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a former sprinter from Canada who won an Olympic bronze medal in 4 x 100 metres relay in Los Angeles 1984. He also won a silver medal in the 4 x 100 metres relay at the 1982 Commonwealth Games. Competing at the first World Championships in 1983, he set his personal best 100 metres time with 10.31 seconds.

Sharpe was a part of the doping regime of George Astaphan, the physician who supplied Ben Johnson with stanazolol.

Sharpe trained with the Scarborough Optimist Track Club. Club coach Charlie Francis, working with Astaphan, had supplied performance enhancing drugs to Ben Johnson, Desai Williams, Tony Sharpe, Angella Taylor-Issajenko, Mark McKoy and others. Sharpe testified at the 1989 Dubin inquiry, and admitted to steroid use. He was subsequently suspended from eligibility for federal funding. He was reinstated in 2012.

Upon reinstatement, Mediator Larry Banack wrote this, of Sharpe.

"The Applicant demonstrated sincerity, contrition, remorse and a passion for the sport of track and field and the promotion of drug-free sport," Banack wrote in his decision.

"I am satisfied that the intention and spirit of the Recommendations of the Dubin Inquiry that contemplated possible future reinstatement have been satisfied by the Applicant." "I am convinced that the submissions of the Applicant are genuine. It would be inappropriate to prevent such a talented and passionate individual from moving forward to pursue a career which will benefit the sports community as a whole."

Reinstatement will allow Sharpe to coach at the national team and Olympic levels. He was named a Provincial level coach in 2013.

Sharpe coaches young track athletes at Pickering's Speed Academy Athletics Club; he founded the club in 2006 after leaving a career in corporate sales.

Sharpe is married to former sprinter Colene Taffe, they have three teen-aged children.

References

• Tony Sharpe profile at IAAF