Doping and athletics

Athletics sprinting events: An "incurable credibility problem?"

Check in a little later for a post on the Tour de France, and the first big mountain top finish from Monday at Hautacam. Apologies for being a little behind on that one, but I'll get some comment up on the stage a little later today.

In the meantime, I came across this excellent article which delivers comment on the Dwain Chambers drug case with the British Olympic Committee. For those not following the story, Chambers, who became infamous as a result of testing positive for the designer steroid THG, is trying to have a lifetime ban overturned to allow him to compete at the Olympic Games for Britian. The lifetime ban is the creation of the BOC, because Chambers has already served out his two year ban for his positive test. We covered the story earlier this year, when Chambers made his intentions known (before a brief stint in rugby league):

Dwain Chambers makes his comeback: Implications
Should drug-cheats be given life-bans?

The Times article gives some interesting perspective on the debate, and is most interesting because it paints a damning picture of the apathy and negative attitude towards actually cleaning up the sport. Those who speak openly about the problem are often criticized, even crucified for being negative about the sport, by the authorities. It reminds me a great deal of the cycling situation, where the UCI President Pat Mcquiad feels that cycling doesn't have a major doping problem, despite the fact that teams and sponsors are flocking for the exit doors...

More on the cycling a little later today!

Ross