Olympics!

[awk]

when you see so many former proven drug cheats having served their bans winning medals in Peking.

Looks like at least one has done it again, if Blonska's B sample comes up positive.

[EddieH]

I was once tested at a JK. Desperate to get home as I had visitors coming, the testers were 100% unsympathetic. Despite their REQUIREMENTS to provide drink they refused point blank and it was 3 hours before I could pee. I then had to stop every 15 minutes for the first art of my drive

I was also very aware at one National event that there was a possibilty that I'd be required for a test. Yet I had to leave immediately to catch a plane for my work. It was quite clear to me as a recreational M40 orienteer running elite for fun, that work would have to take priority and that the testers would have to travel with me untilI could pee - something I doubt they would have done. I always wonder what would have happened had I been selected.

[graeme]

How to make the most of "missed" tests to take drugs, from Dwain Chambers' "cooperation" in an attempt to get BOA to follow IOF rules and get himself reinstated.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/ ... 941984.ece

Note that Dwain NEVER failed a drugs test for THG, testosterone/epitestosterone cream, EPO (Procrit), HGH (Serostim), insulin (Humalog), modafinil (Provigil) or liothryonine, all of which he admitted taking regularly. "Missing" drug tests were crucial in achieving this. He only got caught when his drug of choice was grassed up to the drugs testers. For those with longer memories, remember Ben Johnson NEVER failed a drugs test for anything prescribed by his coach (nor did any other of Charlie Francis' athletes). The Johnson inquiry established the need for out of competition testing (which I fully accept is a pain for all involved).

Basically, nobody who knows what they're doing gets caught. Positives tend to come from cock-ups (Alan Baxter, Torunn Fossli) or idiocy (Johnson). The cock-ups are generally treated mildly, disqualification from that event, similar to a sprinter who jumps the gun. Baxter surely had no more intention of cheating than a long jumper overstepping the mark, but I wouldn't be confident that the illegal stimulant in his body didn't save the few tenths of a second by which he got his medal position.

As for Christine Ohuruogu: she just ran one one the best judged and exciting races I've ever seen, and I think she comes over very well in interviews.

[Oldman]

She should appeal to the ECHR then because she had a ban of 12 months yet was "totally exonerated".

Exonerated of any hint of drug use - she was still undeniably guilty of breaking the UK Sport testing rules, and she has paid the penalty for doing so.

She may have been formally exonerated of any hint of drug use, but missing three tests got her a ban so she was guilty of a doping offence...

... and there was less likelihood of evidence of drug use (if there was any) if she missed three out-of-competition drug tests.

[andy]

I do seem to have (re)opened up a can of worms here..

Ok, so I've spent most of my morning feeling bad about having a dig at our newly crowned olympic champion. So maybe a little more knowledgeable now having read replies and read some stuff about it.

I already knew about the 'crap' drugs testing procedures of having to note where you will be at specific times for random testing and how you have to let the BOA know if your plan changes, it does seem a bit overkill but as a non-elite runner I feel I have to take the viewpoint 'it's a rule, follow it'. Surely after missing 2 or even 1 tests you might start to think 'holy crap, if I miss one again I'll get a ban and can never compete at the olympics' and start to take a little bit more care over it.

The main reason for my 'hate campaign' I guess is a pretty rubbish one, which is what got me thinking... It stems from the rubbish BOA rules and the fact they treated both her and Chambers differently, my viewpoint being that they both served their bans and should be allowed to compete in GB colours at all levels.

As for Alain Baxter he proved that what he had inadvertently taken hadn't enhanced his performance, there's always that niggling doubt with Ohuruogu as there's no way to prove unequivocally [edit: ok so I didn't see that she had been 'formally exonerated' until after posting, but there will always be that niggling doubt, whereas baxter was the other way round, he had taken something and was able to show it didn't help him] that she didn't miss tests on purpose. And you're right Didsco - I am a fan of his but I'm undecided whether he should get the medal back or not - He did clear his name but he did also serve a ban that was never removed completely (he was given the minimum 3 months).

Whether I like her or not, or am going to support her or not, she trained well and she ran a perfect race, so all credit to her.

[graeme]

Just for the benefit of those who think passing tests proves anything at all, or indeed that the harsh post-Johnson drugs regime is ineffective, here's the list of women's track world records and dates...

100m 10.49 Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA) 16/07/1988
200m 21.34 Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA) 29/09/1988
400m 47.60 Marita Koch (GER) 06/10/1985
800m 1:53.28 Jarmila Kratochvilova (CZE) 26/07/1983
1500m 3:50.46 Yunxia Qu (CHN) 11/09/1993
3000m 8:06.11 Junxia Wang (CHN) 13/09/1993
10000m 29:31.78 Junxia Wang (CHN) 08/09/1993

"Valid Alternate Viewpoint" - women were only any good when I was in my 20s

[andy]

back on topic a bit: outsanding stuff from Usain Bolt today, I think even Michael Johson was astounded

[graeme]

Bolt is amazing. At least he looked like he was trying this time. Like Johnson, he seemed to lean back as he runs, and IMO he's much more elegant and fluid than most of the other sprinters. Good effort from Danvers in the 400h, after so many years on the circuit. Is she in the relay team?

[Eeyore]

You've also got to love a guy who in his two meals before breaking the 100m record ate 'fast food' in the form of Chicken Nuggets. Who needs a balanced diet?

[awk]

Is she in the relay team?

Not according to the BOA website: squad is Ohuruogu, Nicole Sanders, Donna Fraser, Lee McConnell and Vicki Barr.

[geomorph]

Bolt is amazing. At least he looked like he was trying this time. Like Johnson, he seemed to lean back as he runs, and IMO he's much more elegant and fluid than most of the other sprinters. Good effort from Danvers in the 400h, after so many years on the circuit. Is she in the relay team?

Reminds me of my hero (unfortunately now tainted) Carl Lewis. Almost seems to glide.
Hope, despite phenomenal success and the ensuing media love/hate campaigns and huge money offers that follow, he is able to keep in control and be the role model for future generations.

[DIDSCO]

Funny thing today is that Jacques Rogge (IOC President) has been complaining about Bolt for being a poor champion, amongst other things for not shaking the hands of his competitors after the race. Thats pretty sad coming from the president considering Bolt could well be the first non-drug taking 100m olympic champion since Hasely Crawford in 1976 (though Donovan Bailey fans might give me a good challenge on that one, and scots don't even try it on with Alan Wells), Rogge should be singing his praises.

In my opinion any 21 year old who can run 19.30 with a 0.9 head wind is a freak, and has no need for drug taking

[Oldman]

Personally, I think Rogge was right. Bolt did not show enough respect to fellow competitors and failed to support the Olympic spirit. I salute Rogge for having the b**** to say this in the current hysteria surrounding what was I totally agree a fantastic run. But perhaps as its his last Olympics, he feels able to be more open ?

[DIDSCO]

Thing is when the others finished Bolt was already on the otherside of the track doing his dancing, quite hard to shake hands then! He did the lap of honour arm in arm with Spearmon + Martina (silver and bronze who both were disqualified later) that looked like pretty good sportsmanship. He's just broken Johnsons incredible world record, what does Rogge expect Bolt to do - walk around calmly, salute the IOC president, thank his competitors for a jolly good race, and then offer to buy them all a glass of port later on at the athletes bar.

Rogge should get his own ship in order (IOC) before he starts moaning on about an athletes sportmanship. As I said before the IOC is still rife with corruption.

[awk]

Personally, I think Rogge was right. Bolt did not show enough respect to fellow competitors and failed to support the Olympic spirit.

Can't agree one jot. Just because one didn't jolly well go up to one's opponents and shake their dashed hands, doesn't mean that there wasn't respect. Ben Johnson shook hands - did he support the Olympic spirit (whatever that is)? Next thing, Rogge will be complaining because all these tears on the podium show insufficiently stiff upper lips.