Olympic marathon innovations
The marathon at the Games of the IV Olympiad was notable for a number of firsts.
In a London 1908 first, the marathon was run over the now-standard official distance of 26.2 miles (42.195km). The 1908 race also saw the first stadium finish for the marathon, a tradition that has continued ever since, with the exception of the London 2012 and Rio 2016 marathons.
The London 1908 marathon ushered in another Olympic Games innovation: the first anti-doping rule in sport. Introduced in response to the use of stimulants in the St Louis 1904 marathon, the health risks involved in taking them, and a desire that “gentlemen amateurs” – as athletes were at the time – should play fair and compete drug-free, Rule 4 stated: “No competitor, either at the start or during, may take or receive any drug. The breach of this rule will operate as a disqualification.”
Although clearly not enforced, with runners openly consuming stimulants during the race and going unpunished for it, the rule change at least raised awareness of the issue of doping and helped lay the foundations of the anti-doping movement.
By Amsterdam 1928, the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) had developed a rule to cover aiding and abetting athletes, and applied it to all athletic disciplines. It was not until the 1960s and ’70s, however, that more detailed anti-doping rules came into effect, lists of banned substances were drawn up and testing programmes were introduced. All Olympic sports are now signatories of the World Anti-Doping Code, which provides a framework for anti-doping policies and rules and regulations within sports organisations.
The London 1908 marathon was won by the USA’s Johnny Hayes. Italy’s Dorando Pietri crossed the line first but was disqualified, not for consuming stimulants during the race, which he did openly, but for receiving physical assistance from officials. Pietri headed in the wrong direction on entering the stadium and then collapsed, before being helped to his feet and over the line. A cult hero in the eyes of the public nevertheless, he was later awarded a special commemorative cup by Queen Alexandra. Pre-race favourite Tom Longboat of Canada pulled out after 19 miles, his withdrawal caused by excessive ingestion of an unnamed stimulant.