NFR - Dopers

[Herbie]

What are the thoughts on last night's result in the men's 100m World Champs race? 

Personally, it felt wrong to see Gatlin crowned the best in the world.  There's no doubting he ran a great race last night, but with his history of doping (twice!) it does not exactly set a great example to young athletes starting out. 

I can understand why he received so many boos, which for me are also partly aimed at the governing bodies for letting this situation arise.  Should dopers (in any sport) get a second chance, or third in Gatlin's case?

[Roberty]

It depends on the nature of the offence

In some cases there is reasonable evidence that is was accidental or careless - I believe he claimed this to be the case on the second occasion that he was caught out - in these instances the authorities should perhaps have some flexibility

On the first occasion, I understand the drugs were knowingly and purposely taken to enhance his performance -
if that was the case - I can see no reason for this not warranting lifetime ban for all offenders

[Carborundum]

Whatever happened in the past, I thought Gatlin and Bolt handled the situation last night with a fair degree of tact given the amount of raw adrenaline coursing through their veins.

Lifetime bans for intentional PED taking?  Yes, certainly.  But given that Gatlin wasn't handed one, what's he supposed to do?  Ban himself?  Bit of a mess really.

Mr Gatlin has paid a price for cheating.  He's treated as a pantomime baddy that the media seem to invite observers to feel morally superior to.  Pretty certain that isn't what he envisaged at the start. 

Bolt is just astonishing in so many respects.  Dealt a marvellous hand, he's played it magnificently, which is the real measure of the man.  The words he said to Gatlin at the end of the race as they embraced -don't know what they were - appeared to be delivered with a deep human warmth.

Shakespeare would surely have loved the Bolt and Gatlin story.  He'd have woven redemption in as a theme. And there would have been shades of grey amongst the stark contrasts.  The current media don't seems to have the bandwidth or guile.

[cmg]

In the first instance Gatlin was found to be using an amphetamine-type drug, Ritalin, which he had, apparently, been long taking for ADD. These types of drug could give a performance boost and he was either stupid or badly informed to be taking them while competing. His lenient punishment seemed reasonable.

In the second instance he was found to have been one of several athletes coached by Trevor Graham to have used a testosterone enhancer (a 'steroid').
These type of drugs do not give a one-off performance boost, they make changes in the body to facilitate enhanced performance and allow more robust training regimes.
To my mind, either such drugs should be legalized (and the long-term health risks accepted) in which case the sport would be confined to those (and there may be many) who are prepared to gamble their health for success OR, in fairness to those who 'race clean', users should be permanently banned.

[Mince n Tatties]

What gets me is the Headlines on the news everywhere is Bolt only finished 3rd.....Really,that's world wide news that some bloke finished 3rd in a race...That will feed the starving millions will it...Nonsense

[Lighthouse]

Doping is so wide spread in sport that it ceases to become news. When I think of how many athletes were hounded out of the sport because of taking a wrong supplement etc. Nowadays it is almost accepted that the authorities can not catch everybody so when they do they have to be consistent.

Can a cheat and criminal turn it around or be allowed to turn it around instead of being labelled a cheat and banned forever. Well until there is a system that can trace and find all the cheats. Then I guess the answer is allowing cheats to try and redeem themselves.

[cmg]

Might a 'reformed cheat' actually be a cheat who has found a state-of-the-art way of fooling the drug tests?

However reformed a drug cheat might be he, or she, can't hand back the body they obtained through cheating.

[RaySmith]

There should be consistency across sports.

There's a lot of emphasis on cycling's history of doping, with Lance Armstrong banned from all sport for life, but athletics is possibly even worse, with what were Communist countries employing forced doping  of possible  champions  from an early age.

Also, recent bans in athletics have been ridiculous in their short duration.

And what about tennis, with Sharapova,  hardly out at all it seems after  being fund guilty of doping. OK, so she had an  excuse - it was  supplement she'd been taking for ages  for a medical condition, and she didn't know it had  been banned. But they all have their excuses, often seemingly valid, don't they? But it's the individual athlete, with all the coaching support available to them, responsibility as to what they take.

There have been rumours that doping is widespread in football, but testing  doesn't seem rigorous at all. Who wants to ban a player who might bring in a lot of money for a club, or  football authority through TV money? is  one cynical view.

[filham]

Just can't understand why sportsmen/women risk taking drugs, if I had their natural ability no way would I risk both health and reputation in that way.

[JHaynes Paperboy]

Just can't understand why sportsmen/women risk taking drugs, if I had their natural ability no way would I risk both health and reputation in that way.

Doping was/is rife in the Horse racing world, at least these cheats had a choice, the horse unfortunately has'nt.

[sunburywhite]

Its a case of my chemist is better than your chemist

Used to love athletics in the days of Coe and Ovett, wouldn't cross the street to watch it now

Its amazing how a little island like Jamaica has so many top sprinters

[Jamie88]

What gets me is the Headlines on the news everywhere is Bolt only finished 3rd.....Really,that's world wide news that some bloke finished 3rd in a race...That will feed the starving millions will it...Nonsense

What is nonsense is what you've just spouted.
It has made the news because the greatest sprinter of all time has raced his last race - hardly 'some bloke' in some race.

[Neil D]

We have a current British multi-medal winning athlete whose current and previous coaches are under investigation by the US and Spanish anti-doping agencies respectively.
Then there are therapeutic use exemptions for cyclists.  It's astonishing how many top class cyclists suffer from asthma. 
Only Lawn Bowls, which I play, is seemingly exempt from this tawdry scourge but for how long, I ask?

[sunburywhite]

We have a current British multi-medal winning athlete whose current and previous coaches are under investigation by the US and Spanish anti-doping agencies respectively.
Then there are therapeutic use exemptions for cyclists.  It's astonishing how many top class cyclists suffer from asthma. 
Only Lawn Bowls, which I play, is seemingly exempt from this tawdry scourge but for how long, I ask?

Wait for Sanatogen to be declared performance enhamcing

[Neil D]

We have a current British multi-medal winning athlete whose current and previous coaches are under investigation by the US and Spanish anti-doping agencies respectively.
Then there are therapeutic use exemptions for cyclists.  It's astonishing how many top class cyclists suffer from asthma. 
Only Lawn Bowls, which I play, is seemingly exempt from this tawdry scourge but for how long, I ask?

Wait for Sanatogen to be declared performance enhamcing

That's me done for, then.  092.gif

[westcliff white]

the rules say he as served his time (twice), and I personally disagree with them (previously banned dopers) being allowed to compete, however they are the rules so tehres not much anyone can do. I think there was more than just Gatlin in the final that was previously banned, Blake possibly?

Its just what they allow as wrong as it is

[Mince n Tatties]

What gets me is the Headlines on the news everywhere is Bolt only finished 3rd.....Really,that's world wide news that some bloke finished 3rd in a race...That will feed the starving millions will it...Nonsense

What is nonsense is what you've just spouted.
It has made the news because the greatest sprinter of all time has raced his last race - hardly 'some bloke' in some race.

Greatest ever?
You missed me being chased in my younger days down Newmarket High Street by the police..
Bolt would never haved lived with me..lol

[Holders]

Obviously these instances have to be handled objectively - and consistently.

That said, It seemed to me that the boos that he received after what should have been the win of his life will have well and truly taken the shine off it for him. In twenty (or even two) years' time everyone will remember Bolt but I suspect no-one will remember Gatlin.

[Woolly Mammoth]

We have a current British multi-medal winning athlete whose current and previous coaches are under investigation by the US and Spanish anti-doping agencies respectively.
Then there are therapeutic use exemptions for cyclists.  It's astonishing how many top class cyclists suffer from asthma. 
Only Lawn Bowls, which I play, is seemingly exempt from this tawdry scourge but for how long, I ask?

There are rumours afoot that there has been a profusion of bowl tampering at a number of Lawn Bowls events in recent years, and a full investigation is under way to dig out the transgressors.
I hope your not one of them, otherwise may I suggest covering your tracks.