By then the process of choosing a location for the Games had itself become a commercial concern ; there were widespread allegations of corruption potentially affecting the IOC 's decision process . In the Atlanta games in 1996 , the highlight was 200 meters runner Michael Johnson annihilating the world record in front of a home crowd . Canadians savored Donovan Bailey 's recording gold medal run in the 100-meter dash . This was popularly felt to be an appropriate recompense for the previous national disgrace involving Ben Johnson . There were also emotional scenes , such as when Muhammad Ali , clearly affected by Parkinson 's disease , lit the Olympic torch and received a replacement medal for the one he had discarded in 1960 . The latter event took place not at the boxing ring but in the basketball arena . The atmosphere at the Games was marred , however , when a bomb exploded during the celebration in Centennial Olympic Park . In June 2003 , the principal suspect in this bombing , Eric Robert Rudolph , was arrested
bomb exploded
Centennial Olympic Park bombing
Summer Olympic Games