Assault Charge Filed Against Ben Johnson

TORONTO —  Disgraced Olympic sprinter Ben Johnson has been charged with assault by Toronto police for allegedly attacking former teammate Cheryl Thibedeau in late December, police said.

Johnson will appear in court Jan. 24 for the incident, in which he allegedly grabbed the track star by her neck and squeezed, a Toronto police officer said today. The charge was filed Monday.

Johnson won the 100 meters in world record time at the Seoul Olympics but was later stripped of his gold medal and record after testing positive for a banned anabolic steroid.

Thibedeau, who formerly ran with Johnson with the Mazda Optimist Track Club, filed a complaint after an incident on Dec. 17 at York University, Toronto Police Detective Al Brown said.