- 8 Mar 09, 09:10 PM
It was a very disappointing performance from Britain's athletes at the European Indoor Championships. Team coach Charles van Commenee was looking for five or six medals and to only get four is not good enough.
We did get two golds though. I wasn't surprised with Dwain Chambers' efforts in the 60m, although his astonishing 6.42 seconds in the semi-finals breaking the British and European record was a surprise.
I'm running out of things to say about Dwain. It was interesting to hear the jeers and boos inside the stadium - even when he was on the rostrum picking up his gold medal. That surprised me.
Sometimes we sit on or hands in Britain and say nothing. Opinion seems to be more polarised in Britain, but most people across the world in the sport - the audiences and newspapers included - all seem to be less sympathetic.
I think we have to be careful about the message we're sending out in this sport. Regarding Dwain's forthcoming autobiography - was it right to bring out the book when he did?
He doesn't seem to want to deal with the aftermath of it all. I'm disappointed and it seems to be the only thing we talk about in athletics. You can't deny his performance on the track but the vast majority of people in the sport and out of it seem unhappy with him and think that what he's doing is not helping athletics.
Mo Farah's 3,000m gold was a cracking run. To go out and push from the front all the way is tough. That was a world class performance and he's now got to go away and get ready for the summer and build on what he's done here. All his hard work has paid off.
The truth is that the British performances were below par.
Sarah Claxton - who equalled her own British 60m hurdles record in the semi-finals - didn't do well at all in the final. Greg Rutherford didn't perform that well in the long jump either. He was sixth, despite a personal best.
Van Commenee is a realistic man and he will know the performances were not as good as he would have liked. They were below par. Marilyn Okoro was in a high level race in the 800m final, but she made some poor decisions in that race bursting out so far in front like she did.
Van Commenee will have to ask why Okoro did what she did. And there is Claxton as well. Why the difference between her semi-final performance and the final?
Looking at other European nations - like the Russians and the Italians - they seem to be raising their game. The two Italian sprinters in the 60m men's final behind Dwain did really well.
But overall, it wasn't a great championships. There have been some world class performances and some pretty poor ones - with Germany's Sebastian Bayer 8.71m in the long jump a real highlight.
The Russian quartet won the women's 4x400m ahead of Britain but the time of 3:29.12 minutes would not have been good enough to win a medal two years ago - it was a shocking performance really.
So Van Commenee will just have to make sure the necessary changes are made with the British team during the summer and put in place.
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Cram's thinly disguised vitriol regarding Chambers is as predictable as it tedious. I've been at meetings when the cheers for Chambers have raised the roof and Cram will steadfastly hear booing. Yes there were boos but Cram should get out more and attend a few football matches, which would perhaps add a new dimension to his pre-occupation. An Italian crowd and two Italian sprinters thwarted by Chambers - result a somewhat petulant and half-hearted booing. The Brtitish contigent were waving Union Jacks and cheering with vigour, as has been the overwheming response for Chambers since he has been back in competition.
Better that Chambers had remained rigorously in denial regarding his drug abuse - it would have served him better than his brutal brand of honesty. We could perhaps take pride in the fact that UK Athletics has a policy of zero-tolerance, except of course that it doesn't - you are apparently only guilty when you openly admit to it. Chambers is in a class of one in that respect.
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I was once again very disappointed with the treatment Dwain Chambers received at the hands of the BBC commentators during the European Indoor Championships.
Look, the guy cheated, was banned, and served his time. I won't say he made a mistake or throw any other platitudes in there because he knew what he was doing and hoped he wouldn't get caught - he did and he's paid for it.
He's now back in the sport running faster than ever and it's about time everyone stopped whinging about him.
During the BBC coverage, Colin Jackson, Jonathan Edwards, and you, Steve - all of whom I have a great deal of respect for - could barely hide you contempt for him. It was difficult to watch at times.
The thing that seems to be upsetting people more than anything else is that he's an exceptional athlete and he continues to show it. Moreover, he's now showing what an exceptional competitor he is. He's not allowed to compete on the circuit, he's had almost no races, and yet he still comes out and smashes the European record.
As a nation, we seem bent on taking everyone down a peg or two - especially our sports people. Why?
We have someone who is genuinely world-class and winning medals and all anyone can talk about is how he USED to use banned substances. I don't think anyone could possibly suggest he's on anything now - Van Commenee himself said Dwain's tested almost every day - so why are we not celebrating the fact that we have such a talent to call our own?
If the crowd in Turin wants to boo (why was it "interesting", by the way?) Dwain then that's up to them - he's not an Italian after all - but we should be supporting him as he now is, not trying to destroy him for past failings.
A classic example of this apparent desire to undermine performances is in this very article, Steve: "Greg Rutherford didn't perform that well in the long jump either. He was sixth, despite a personal best."
How can anyone getting a personal best in the final of an international event be said to have not performed very well? If you ran your fastest ever 1,500m in a championship final and finished sixth, would you not be at least a bit disappointed to read that your performance was considered to be not very good?
If he'd been up against a weaker field and finished in the medals, would the same have been said? I doubt it very much.
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this chambers stuff is getting ridiculous, people in athletics should be jumping on the fact that when dwain was on the drugs his performances were inconsistant and often just plain poor.
Now he is running clean and focusing on his training he is not only outperforming what he did on the drugs, but he us doing this consistently.
I hate people using drugs to gain an advantage in sport and if the world policy was to give lifetime bans to drug users, then chambers would have got what he deserved, but it isn't he served his time, is helping doping testers by discussing with them how he beat the system, winning while running clean. If anything he should be being used as a role model, not a scapegoat because people are pissed off that he is still the best we have.
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I completely agree with the first two comments in response to this blog.
Cheating is unpleasant, but i can understand why someone would take the choice to cheat - i dont respect it, but i can understand it.
But i find it really admirable that Chambers stood up and admitted to cheating after he was caught - rather than coming up with some ridiculous excuse, like most 99% of other people who are caught out in the same way.
Surely he deserves to have his slate wiped clean.
He cheated, he had the honesty and decency to admit to it after being found out (unlike many of his colleagues) so let him run, and stop being so self-righteous and picking on him just because he had the courage to own up
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I couldn't agree more with congenialParsifal, the BBC commentators are clearly prejudice towards Dwain and made for rather awkward viewing. After his world class 6.42 the commentators said how it didn't look that quick as if they were hoping it was a technical error. Also after Dwain had done what few British athletes are capable of Jonathan Edwards decided to say in the post race interview that he was a controversial character after Dwain jokingly mentioned how the announcer just said he had come 3rd and not 1st. Why can't they have the same view as Charles van Commenee he cheated and he served his 2 year ban, what is the point in issuing a ban if when he comes back he is still judged. If any other British athlete had performed as well as Dwain the BBC commentators would have heaped praise on them but with Dwain's performance this sadly did not happen.
Regards his book release it made simple business sense to release snippets before what is one of the biggest events he is allowed to enter. He is having to turn to other avenues of income as a result of his exclusion from the majority of meets. I hope his books sells well and that he transfers this form to the 100m scene.
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Steve:
I am happy that Team GB got at least 4 medals...
-Dennis Junior
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As always, you are a Dwain-hater.
athletics is not so much my sport, but as an ardent cycling fan, i would have to say that the issue of drugs is always lurking under the clear coat of the glossy face of things.
One thing surprises me. there is a British cyclist who had come back from a drugs ban somewhere near the time when Chambers made his return to sport. people seem to love the fact that he is a 'reformed' soul, and thus accord him some sort of exalted status.
maybe the difference between Chambers and Millar is that Chambers actually decides that he has an opinion. or had one, at any rate. i do not hear him making some of the points he was making a few years ago regarding drugs in his sport, and i suppose he would know, considering he was a part of the cream at the time.
For all his mistakes, or whatever you want to call the infractions he committed, Mr. Chambers is now a hopefully clean athlete and a sound qualifier from reform school. i suggest you cut him some slack and look for something else to moan about. your pieces are going to be read by many, for sure, so stop sensationalising things. Give Dwain his due and try and focus on positive things he is doing now..
it becomes hard to listen to a moaner after a while.
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I too am tied of the attacks aimed at Chambers. Steve Cram is an articulate public speaker and a distinguished athlete so why Oh why does he run this thinly veiled public attack? Chambers admitted an offence, served the punishment and came back stronger, saying to youngsters - don't be as stupid as me. This should be praise but the holy trinity of Cram, Jackson and Edwards must refer back all the time; not one was able to fully hide the fact they would rather have seen anyone else win.
However all three continue to fawn over those who miss tests repeatedily and simply 'don't get caught'.
Surely if a drug offence, and missing three tests is in my book, then the same punishment must apply to all, not the case if you are honest and called Chambers.
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"Sometimes we sit on or hands in Britain and say nothing. Opinion seems to be more polarised in Britain, but most people across the world in the sport - the audiences and newspapers included - all seem to be less sympathetic"
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Every person who has left a comment before me has been in favour of Chambers (well at least in accepting/forgiving him) .
I think that says an awful lot.
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"I think we have to be careful about the message we're sending out in this sport. Regarding Dwain's forthcoming autobiography - was it right to bring out the book when he did?"
An oddly ironic comment from someone who shouted (with Dame Kelly and Niels de Vos) about Chambers selection last year dragging athletics onto the front pages for the reason. Demanding in a further irony that UKA disregard it's own rules and not select an athlete opening itself up to be sued under just about every equal opps legislation ever written.
Chambers is pitiable and skint. Better to get this out of the way now with the almost inconsequencial Europeans than the summer at the worlds. It's done it's out there.
Whilst maybe it is worth reminding ourselves of some things why throw all the toys at full volume whenever Chambers wins. It is in danger of damaging the sport and being viewed as self serving.
I honestly just see a sport surrounded by hypocritical ex-athletes pundits without any perspective beyond their own views and charmed existence who seem to misunderstand what self serving is. I am sure they mean better.
As with last year work to change the system not generate headlines. We will welcome 'Shame' Warne this year to commentary and I guarantee his drug ban is not mentioned.
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Ideally I would like to see less hostility towards Dwain Chambers. If he is now clean then maybe he should be made more of an example of how well you can do without drugs.
It is surely very difficult however for former athletes to be forgiving, considering the years of work put in to stay at the top of their game. Chambers hasn't helped with his comments either - especially those saying "it is unlikely an olympic gold medal can be won without performance enhancing drugs". Can Jonathan Edwards really be expected to give a straight interview after this slur?
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I'm really glad to see the response to this blog. I find the views of athletes surrounding Dwain so hypocritical. We all know that America, China, Russia had (and probably still have) drug programmes.
But more importantly the guy did the time for cheating and I have massive respect for him. I personally reckon that the way so many people turned their backs on Dwain have made him more of a hero as he now faces huge adversity. I'm not sure if he's mentioned race but I have to say I do wonder whether if he was white he would be treated the same. David Millar situation would suggest so.
Aside from that he isn't one of these prima donnas getting paid to come eight in an event. I'll be more than happy to buy a copy of his book just to give one in the eye to Cram and his cronies.
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Cram, are you reading the comments in response to your blog entry? That should send out a CLEAR message to you and your pals at the BBC that the vast majority of people SUPPORT Chambers and it is YOU who goes out of your way to point out the boo-ers. Was Chambers the ONLY athlete to get some boos during the championships? Can you honestly answer that?
I'm really looking forward to Chambers' book. I'm sure you won't be happy when it becomes a bestseller. If that doesn't send out a message to you of the amount of support Chambers has then I don't know what will. I'm just so happy about Van Commenee. Seeing him put Jonathan Edwards in his place on Sunday re Chgambers was sweet music to my hears! Give it up, Cram.
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Dear Steve,
When I was 10, I read your autobiography and you were a boyhood hero of mine for many years. I cannot imagine that I would have been inspired to follow and admire your career had you failed a drugs test at an early age. But in the case of Chambers, I believe he is getting persecuted unjustly by the UK athletics establishment who are bending over backwards to demonstrate to youngsters that cheats don't prosper. A worthy aim, but it has beat Dwain into a penniless corner and he is now lashing back the only way that he can, which is making the situation worse.
Dwain doesn't make it easy for himself though. The timing of his book is dreadful, and if it leads to IAAF charges of disrepute then that could be an unfortunate end to the whole saga. Bolt will never run against him now. Why on earth should he?
But one way or another the issue should be left in the past. There are two ways to do this 1) pretend Chambers doesn't exist or 2) accept the fact that he is a world class athlete, and focus on his current performances and rehabilitation. The former approach is both unjust and counterproductive - Chambers has nothing else to offer now. The latter approach is constructive as his cheating was caught and more than amply punished at the age of 23. He should be given the opportunity to fulfil his potential and I would argue for his inclusion in the Olympics.
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Chambers seriously needs a PR guy to do his interviews. But considering he is penniless and can't afford one. He can't.
He is a guy who done his time and was free to return to athletics 2/3 years ago and still getting persecuted for the same crime - its shameful. He still has to pay back the IAAF the prize money...but can't because they don't want to let him earn anything in what he is good at.
He is outperforming athletes with lottery funding. He doesn't get that. Its time to forgive and forget - shame on you.
No doubt proceeds from this autobiography will be used to payoff his debts. But so what, ashe can't earn his preferred way.
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I, too, am disappointed at the treatment Chambers receives at the hands of the media, and delighted by the responses to this blog post. Chambers is good for the sport, because he is a clear example of someone with genuine talent and genuine competitive "guts", who went down the wrong path and will regret it for the rest of his life. His showings since returning from his ban only underline the tragedy of his involvement with performance enhancing drugs.
Athletes who have returned from drugs-bans are not that uncommon on the circuit (or even at the Olympics) these days. The hostility directed at Dwain comes from a small group of people with loud voices (or, should I say, microphones), and is disproportionate and largely self-serving.
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thetruevoice, the state of British athletics is underlined by the attitude of the people running it, there is no balance or fairness and if you are IN with the inner circle anything is excusable.
The problem with Chambers is he continues to show how poorly administrated the sport is where you get the idea that most persons involved on the admin side are there to earn a buck and have no comeback on their performances.
Chambers is continually dogged however Christine Ohuruogu is ok because they think so
it all stinks and shows the rot at the core of the sport
Geoffrey Walusimbi now there's a name
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I find the attitude of some of or leading past and present 'sports people' appalling showing double standards all around. Where were all these voices and opinions when Linford Christie was found guilty of drug taking, why did they not object to him being on TV etc commenting and presenting programmes, and he was even considered by some to carry the Olympic torch at one pointwhy did some of the atheletes choose to be trained by him.
Dwain Chambers took his drugs tests Christine O chose not to, what does that say? What examples are Steve Cram et al showing to youngsters...either take your punishment and move on or in their case persecute the guilty who have admitted their wrongdoing and tried to make good.
Shame on our so called past 'great athletes' perhaps great on the field but not so great with their attitudes and comments
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Perhaps some of the other athletes should up their own performances and this wouldn't be such a big talking point?
Why not concentrate on what's important? Underperformances under pressure.
Dwain lives and performs under the highest scrutiny. Thos who are not interested in athletics know about him and his story. Yet he brings out a performance on the big stage.
There will always remain the supsicion he is cheating, regardless of how many times he is tested. Yet he still carries on, when you hear other sportsmen complaining about the number of times they are tested.
Like it or not, Mr Cram, he IS a role model. We ALL make mistakes, it's how you return from them. He's not perfect, but he's stil out there trying to prove all his doubters wrong when he feels he still has something to offer....... which on this weekend's performance, more than most other athletes, he clearly does.
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My sentiments echo all 18 of the previous messages. Nothing needs to be added.
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It would have been nice to have tuned into the athletics and not had to put up with yourself, Colin, and Jonathan droning on and on and on about Dwain and his book. Don't know how many copies you managed to sell for him with all the free publicity you gave it. It spoiled my viewing, Saturday was bad enough, but then it was deja vu on Sunday.
Can the BBC get a professional presenter for athletics in the future please, one who would be savvy enough to steer the discussion away from one topic, and get on with showing the action, and commenting on that. Ex-athletes with axes to grind is not good viewing.
I am very anti-drugs in athletics, and would actually support a life ban. That said, until that happens, we have the rules we have, and Dwain is allowed to compete, so lets focus on his very good performance, and that of Mo Farah.
Oh! And your comment about Greg is ridiculous, under performing after a PB???
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Give Chambers a break. OK he made a mistake and paid his dues that should be the end of it.
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“When I am able to resist the temptation to judge others, I can see them as teachers of forgiveness in my life, reminding me that I can only have peace of mind when I forgive rather than judge.”
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I have to disagree with the majority of posters here but I have to agree with Steve Cram and the rest of the BBC team, including the likes of one of our greatest ever runners in Paula Radcliffe - there is (should be) no place for drug cheats, past or present at all in British or Wold athletics. The majority of athletes spend years training, slogging away, clean, to improve and develop, striving for the top in the only way they know how, only to go to major events like Olympics, World Championships and be beaten by the likes of Chambers or for example Marion Jones, then 1yr later find out they've been cheated by a drugs cheat - this sickens me as it robs TRUE athletes of their moment of glory they've worked so hard for..it's a disgrace and as far as Im concerned I cannot celebrate anything this man now does. Did his drug taking have nothing to do with his current physique ? Would he be as big as he is now if he had never taken the drugs ? Would he be as fast as he is now without ever having taken them ? Maybe, but we'll never know, and as far as Im concerned the criticism and chatter will never go away while he keeps running. Get shot of him and get back to talking about the true honest athletes that give their in the chase of Victory, even if, shock horror, that means we don't win medals. Bad enought that we don't win many medals than to have the ones we do win, won by cheats. I'd rather rely on our up and coming sprinters (and yes that means possibly not win a medal at a major games - not that Chambers can compete thankfully) and focus on developing new athletes..Good Lord can you imagine if he could still run at the Olympics and winning ? If the best we could theroetically do after all the effort and expense of winning the London Olympics for our nation is to celebrate a known drug cheat winning to me just proves the Worlds gone mad....I suppose I have a tiny bit of sympathy for Dwayne in terms of what was once a potentially great, lucrative career degenerates to this and financially it must be tough BUT you CANT CHEAT and expect nothing to happen - you know the rules and you know what sort of example you are setting to kids...frankly I'm astonished anyone still wants to see him run, does noone have any slight suspicion or feeling of unease when celebrating him win ? How would we feel if it had been a foreign athlete cheating that had pipped Paula Radcliffe to the last 2 London, Olympic and World Championship Gold medals only to be found to be a drugs cheat, then, ban served, later reinstated and running again ? Exactly, we'd savage/boo/call/discredit them at every opportunity they ran....lets not have double standards just because he's a Brit...rules are for fools as John Lydon once said but if you're going have them you have to make them work. Keep up the GREAT coverage and commentary Steve/Colin - it must be incredibly hard sounding ecstatic when a drugs cheat wins but you guys do as good a job as I want to hear...and remember when you criticise these 2 guys that you are talking about 2 of the finest athletes that Great Britain EVER had...real Champions who put in unbeleivable efforts to reach the top, the likes of which we continue to REALLY look up to...no wonder it sickens them having to praise the guy.
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I agree with what's been said thus far. Let's not forget that part of the problem was Dwain's own honesty. He could have made up something about tainted supplements. He could have denied it entirely. But he owned up to his mistake and where did that get him?
I don't expect that there will be any response to these comments; Mr Cram will continue to put down Chambers as and when he can. I always thought that commentators should be somewhat neutral... but it seems now it's perfectly acceptable for personal opinion to colour and shape commentary.
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Would Steve Cram's views be so forthright if he were face to face with Dwain Chambers. It's so easy for Steve Cram to attack the guy from behind his media facade.
Yes I know Dwain Chambers cheated and got caught, but he's paid the penalty. The biggest irony being the better performances he's now producing whilst 'clean'.
The boos from the crowd probably had more to do with the two home athletes getting beat rather than Dwains past misdemeanours.
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Lots of very sensible comments here from both sides of the spectrum. My view is once a cheat always a cheat. Chambers used drugs that were undetected for some time and only when anti cheating technology caught up did it all catch up with him. My view is that he should have been banned for life. He has he only been allowed back in because he has a reasonable chance of lifting a medal and the authorities hope that he is still "clean". Who knows and who will ever really know unless / until he or somebody else gets caught again? Strong stuff - I don't know but I think it's wrong that he has been allowed back into athletics. Sorry. Secondly with regards to congenialParsifal's comments, may I politely point out that "Union Jacks" can only be so called when they are on one of Her Majesty's Royal Navy ships. At all other times including athletic stadiums, they are Union flags. Correct protocols please.
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The programme was spoilt by the three commentators repeatedly referring to the Chambers book. Indeed they appeared to encourage the Athletics Board to ban him for any comments he may have made. There was also an embarrasing silences when talking to Chambers, they were not really listening to him and must have prepared their questions well in advance because they didn't fit in with the moment.
I for one will be happy when they realise that the man has served his sentence and despite their wishes for a 4 year ban being imposed - it hasn't been yet! Come on you three, give the guy a break and let us enjoy the sport again!
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I am still divded on exactly where I stand with regards to Chambers.
I do believe that Dwain does not help himself. A simple apology would have sufficed. Equally the timing of his book, in which he does, apparently, openly criticise the new golden girl of athletics Christine O, is not great.
Having said that we always have to listen to the same old stuff from the Beeb comentators. They seem to have a couple of golden athletes who can do no wrong then sit there and openly criticise the others. Dwain did do wrong, he has served his time and is now back. The promoters and the BBC can do all they want to get him out of the sport but he is clearly going to stay.
Instead of focusing on Chambers all the time, Steve's blog should have focused on the positives of the event. His comments about Greg Rutherford in the long jump are awful. The European Indoors, whilst perhaps being slightly disappointing on the medal stage, did provide a number of future stars with their first taste of senior competition. This is a good thing with 2012 in mind. It is just a shame that Steve et al seem only interested in focusing on Chambers and the lack of decent medals. You are supposed to support British Athletics not continue to harp on about "the good old days".
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steve cram in my opinon this article is not very good . If like 606 we were giving the chance to rate articles i would give this 2 out of 5
firstly i think your having a go at Dwain Chambers , there . Now i think you would agree that your not the most impartial person when it comes to Dwain ? .
But as someone who is your position i think that i want some impartially ..
Your being contracted by money from the people ...... not unlike a politian who is working for the bbc , i do not want to see them using it as a platform repeatly say the same thing we get it ..
lets looks at the facts though
you wrote a book or it used you name
Steve Cram : the making of an athlete
in 1991 ... no could you tell me when this came out ... the masterpiece it is .. its hard to find some information about it.
But if you know , is the release date anyway connect to an event ? or was your fame at a high point when it was released ?or was this not thought about ?
i think releasing a book when you have a product in people minds it makes prefect sense to release at a time when your going to make the most money ...
now im thinking the same happened for you ..
whats the differenece ok your were at the end of your career lookign to cash in as much money as possible to provide for your family i presume ...
oh and Dwain Chambers is at the end of his career trying to cash in for his family
ok and my second point is there is no substance here , your glossying over things . ok so the uk team were below par........ write on this .. they had pb's but where still in the middle of the pack ... yeah your can write something on this ..
i would rather learn about how are teams are not performing , even though they are breaking there own records i think this is a good title ..
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Rehabilitation, that is what this is about. Frankly he has served his punishment and it should now be put in the past.
Congratulations on your gold medal Dwain
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Didn’t watch any of the coverage over the weekend, but can imagine from past form what was said during the telecast.
All these past greats are those making the sport look stupid by their commentary on the Chambers issue, nobody else!!
I certainly don’t agree with what Chambers did, but there are rules in place. If they need to be changed – fine, do that – but stop banging on about the fact he’s back, competing better than ever and having served the suspension the rules provide for.
He is eligible to compete at these meetings, end of story.
I’m really getting sick of it and it’s damaging the sport.
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As unanimous responses utterly disagreeing with a blog go... This one is up there.
Message to the BBC... Your viewing public here are thoroughly NOT in sync with the prevalent view at BBC athletics that Dwain Chambers is an enemy of the sport who should be pushed away!
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I'm so embarrassed by the way the BBC has treated Dwain Chambers. I have never experienced any other athlete receiving the treatment he has received, and I believe it is because he admitted his mistake, no way would the same thing happen in court! Judges and juries are more leniant with people who plead guilty and show remorse and a willingness to reform and be reinserted into society, as in the case of criminals. Dwain Chambers has never at any point been given this opportunity.
I would like to point out that, around the same time, Janine Whitlock tested positive for nandrolone...served her 2 years, came back to the sport, and nothing was ever mentioned...possibly because she denied it. And what about Carl Myerscough? Nothing as derogatory about his character is ever mentioned.
I know the response to this will be that Dwain Chambers has put himself into the spotlight so he's obviuosly going to receive critiscism. I believe that he was forced into the spotlight because he didn't just test positive for nandrolone, but for THG, and because this drug formed part of the Balco scandal and seemed more sneakier than other drugs, which made the UK slam him more than other cheats. Is testing positive for THG any more sneaky than nandrolone? They're both drugs.
Dwain Chambers has been made a scapegoat by UKA and, in turn, the BBC in order to distance themselves from the negative reputation that the USA has made for itself with the Balco scandal, and before that the non-existant drug testing. However, in the process, they have helped to effectively ruin what remains of Chambers' career, a career which is now showing him to be the athlete he always had the natural potential to be. If they were to show the same condescending attitudes to other drug cheats like Myerscough, and previously Whitlock then maybe we could really be talking about the take-no-prisoners policy of UKA, instead everyone is talking about the prejudice of both UKA and the BBC.
BBC, the time has come to lay down your swords.
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The BBC's stance is clear, and the fans are getting tired, we all know the story, let us make our own mind up now, stop banging on about it. The BBC has shown hypocrisy over this issue, and I hope the BBC readers are smart enough to form their own opinions and not to take these opinions as gospel.
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I am so fed up with hearing disparinging comments about Dwain. The guy made a mistake, served his punishment, and has clearly shown that he regrets the past, He was niave, led astray by a coach who promised him honour but showed him contempt. I love athlectics and the BBC's coverage of the meets, but am sick of the so called professionals, tearing into him at every opportune moment. Leave the gut alone and focus on the sport for goodness sake!
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May we ask Steve Cram to give his thoughts on the drug cheat Linford Christie, please?
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Also, on alot of other blogs, the creators (in this case Steve Cram) will often come on and answer a few of the questions raised by what they have written.
I really do hope that Steve Cram does give this board a look, as I would be extremely interested to hear his views on the topics raised.
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to no.26 and the bbc team. you make it sound like people who get caught cheating taking banned substances have foregone all the hardwork and commitment needed to reach the top and have simply taken a magic pill turning them into world-class athletes. i'd imagine the truth is much more along the lines that the majority of cheats have, up until the time of their indiscretion, put in just as much hard work as their clean counterparts, and it is this which has led them to the desperate measures they have sought. i am not justifying cheats, on the contrary, i fully accept what they did was wrong, but it is nevertheless a mistake, a poor-judgement call, that we as humans are ALL prone to make.
the fact is, there is a system of punishment in place, which i believe fits the crime. people calling for lifetime bans, and consistently downplaying his efforts are in my opinion supporting a metaphorical death penalty in athletics. they are basically saying that a person cannot be forgiven for making such a mistake and should therefore have their livelihood taken away from them forever. interesting, but a little petty if you ask me.
a member of the bbc team, incidentally also a devout christian, should understand better than anyone that "to err is human, to forgive divine"
of course i am quite happy to let those judge, who have never made a mistake in their lives, because of course they are morally superior, i just fear there may not be too many of them around. otherwise maybe we should give forgiveness a chance, instead of behaving as moral, self-righteous know-it-alls.
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Dwain has made some silly and unnecessary comments since he's come back, clearly he's just one of these people with an outspoken personality and a bit of a chip on their shoulder (and FAR from the only Brit sprinter to be like that).
But he has been punished to the letter of the law and is now showing outstanding form despite lack of races, funding, age etc being against him.
If anything, by sprinting better than ever he's truly showing how someone doing it clean can be a better runner than doing it doped up. In that way he's a definite role model, and a refreshing change from so many that fervantly deny doing drugs.
The BBC coverage of his races fails totally in the station's aim of unbiased reporting. At least the commentators should be honest and openly admit that rather than pretending to be calling it straight down the line...if you feel that way fine, but hiding behind a wall of faux-respectibility does no-one any favours.
Best wishes for Dwain. Think he'll need them!
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I'm so glad to see so much feeling against the apparent BBC policy of slaggign off Chambers at every opportunity. I really enjoy athletics and the coverage this weekend was ruined by the constant bitching of Cram, Edwards et al.
Dwain is a difficult personality - he's been honest and has refused to play the pathetic "my sample must have been tampered with" game, and I think this counts against him with the BBC veterans more than the fact he cheated.
Plus, constanyl bringing up the book i post-race interviews - how childish. He didn't bring it up sdo why did they? Still, it's better publicity than Dwain himself could afford.
We need to support people who do wrong then chnage their ways - toherwise what incentive is there for peopel who ahve taken the wrong path to ever chnage their ways?
Well doen on the CLEAN
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Sorry, computer went crazy before I could spell check or finish my post! Well done on the clean gold medal Dwain.
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Once again the BBC's poor choice of ex-athletes with an axe to grind as presenters are made to look petty and spiteful by Dwain Chambers' ability. I was particularly interested to see that that paragon of Christian virtue Johnathan Edwards was nearly as lacking in forgiveness as you, Crammy.
For someone who has made so much money out of athletics, you need to get a sense of perspective. The only thing bad about Chambers' return to, and success in, athletics is the amount of self-righteous guff spouted by yourself and your fellow presenters' holier than thou attitude.
Chambers cheated, got caught and was honest about why he cheated - he didn't claim to have 'forgotten' he was due a test; he didn't claim the drugs were administered by a coach against his knowledge.
Move on Crammy - stop denigrating the success of one of our very few world class athletes. Your thinly veiled attempts to get the IAAF to suspend Chambers by 'reminding' them on air that they could do so under the 'bringing the sport into disrepute' argument show that you are unfit to be a BBC spokesman - using a public broadcast for your own agenda: I'd say that brings your own behaviour perilously close to disreputable.
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What really irritated me about the BBC's coverage this weekend in Turin was Cram's, Jonathon Edwards' and Colin Jackson's constant talk about how Dwain Chambers' autobiography was overshadowing the entire competition.
On Saturday the first 10mins on the programme was spent on an interview with Dwain followed by at least another 10mins of discussion about the timing of his book and it's potential effect on athletics.
There's a very simple solution to this guys : broadcast the athletics and talk about the performances on the track and in the field. Forget about Dwain and his book.
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I agree with the vast majority of posts here. Steve Cram is a disgrace and his constant snipes at Dwain have become a pathetic and unneccesary part of BBC coverage. He seemed ok before all this started, but now I would be in favour of him getting the chop. It really is too much.
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I am another who agrees with most of the posts here.
Although I believe it can be debated whether an athlete who has taken drugs should ever be allowed back, the fact is the rules in place state that they can and that is a different debate. He is allowed to complete within the rules so therefore should be allowed to do so without this constant witch hunt.
There have been many athletes in this and other sports who have taken drugs and not received the same problems upon their return. As many have pointed out, at least he admits it, and more to the point admits that he was wrong. What about all those that have not been caught (another debate) and those who have taken drugs 'without knowing'??
I hope that the BBC, after seeing the strength of opinion about it's coverage of this issue over the weekend are going to give some kind of response?? However, I will not hold my breath.
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The distinction between an impartial, professional presenter and commentator and an 'expert', ex-athlete analyst seems to have been blurred by the BBC in recent years.
In their eagerness to sign up all the big names of the past, they now have a line-up who blatantly fail to display the objectivity essential to fair journalism - Jackson, Edwards and Cram are all analysts/'experts' with their own agendas and prejudices and there is no professional anchorman keeping them in line.
Where are the new Ron Pickerings and David Colemans?
Cram, Edwards and Jackson should be removed from presenting roles at the BBC until they demonstrate that they are capable of being unbiased.
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Dwain is guilty of lack of intelligence in several areas:
1) Believing he could cheat and get away with it
2) The comments he made during his ban (to an Olympic Legend - Matthew Pinsent) a long the lines of him only being able to win through cheating
3) Believing he could make a career out of American Football in Germany
4) Not managing his money better when times were good, which forced him to...
5)...release a book criticising colleagues in a team he hoped to be in. Gavin Henson did this a couple of years ago. It did him no good at all, and only some superb team management from Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards has helped him become accepted into the team againt.
6) Actually, was there any need for him to criticise Christine Uhuruogu or Seb Coe at all? His opinion on Uhuruogu is of no relevance.
He has made some stupid choices but I can't help but feel that it was down to some bad characters he may have surrounded himself with.
Now he is back and better than ever. What a good example for youngsters than working hard and training properly will get you better results than steroids ever will?
So, like many of my co-bloggers, I believe that the BBC should be holding up his track performances as an example of what can be achieved with good training and surrounding yourself with the right people.
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What an opportunity missed.
The continuous anti Chambers rhetoric from the so called expert commentators, experts they may be but commentators I think not, was painful to hear. I switched over to Eurosport in the end.
Jonathan Edwards was painful to watch, he has a lot to learn. Some Christian he is by the way, not the forgiving type is he.
Is there a hidden agenda here to try and get Chambers kicked out of the sport for good? Seems like it. The obvious loathing in Steve Cram's voice is evident for all to hear. Colin Jackson had a face like a smacked bottom, presumably because Chambers had just smashed his competition, record and Edwards gave the impression of tagging along with the other two so that they would be his friends.
I think an opportunity was missed to press home the message to all the young athletes and prospective athletes what can be done without drugs, but with hard work and with sheer determination. But no, these three, who have never done anything wrong or regrettable in their lives I assume, chose not to, deciding instead to concentrate on a tired old story that I for one am sick off.
Bring back Sue Barker.
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So almost everybody supports Dwain - but Cram can't see this - why not. The BBC should ask him to explain his comments.
Some people think Dwain should have been banned for life - well he wasn't; it wasn't his decision; other people are in the same position; don't blame him for it - and why pick on him.
How else can Dwain make money if the sporting bodies stop him competing; is this the same for all the other people with drug bans?
Did Regis know about drugs - after a lifetime in the sport you would have thought he would have had some idea. Was Christine O. naive - probably. Do other people take them - very probably.
For the most of us the incredible focus on drugs means that the issue is losing it's interest. Dwaine seems to be just as fast now as when he took them; perhaps that is a better message for the commentators to concentrate on.
Perhaps there should be two sports - with drugs and without.
I just hope that the publicity will sell loads of books for him.
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I agree with TicTacTony - in a perverse way, Chambers is actually a good role model for the anti-drugs movement.
He is now running times well beyond what he delivered when under a supposedly 'performance enhancing' drugs regime, so surely that sends out a message that even if you do cheat, it doesn't necessarily make you a better athlete in all cases.
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Couldn't disagree more with most of these comments.
Culturally, whether we like it or not, the British abhor cheating. That's not to say other countries don't, but even among those we are the most offended when fair play is not observed. But cheating from one of our own? Well that's even worse.
So who am I to criticise medal winning Britons who resisted the pressure to take drugs and still became the best in the world? That's Cram, Edwards and Jackson. They are understandably narked about drug cheats in general and Chambers in particular - his former behaviour undermines everything they fought for. Their achievements alone afford them the right to speak their minds - and I agree with them.
He's not going to be forgiven or his 'mistakes' forgotten and that will never change. I don't dislike the guy funnily enough, but sport is special and there are millions of people out there striving to succeed off their own blood sweat and tears who are deserving of my best wishes and my sympathy. Dwain isn't one of them.
I wish him well, but he is a sideshow. Steve's real point is that for too long there has been too little other British athletics success to overshadow him. Let's hope that changes soon.
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He's not 'a sideshow' - he's probably the most talented British male athlete we currently have available.
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"I'm running out of things to say about Dwain."
- Oh, give over will you? You sanctimonious commentators and analysts on the BBC seem to think you have a duty to give us your hoiler-than-thou opinion on this issue at every opportunity.
Do us a favour - commentate on the events concisely, interview the competitors and then just SHUT UP. If I want opinion I'll watch Paxman. Thanks.
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My opinion seems to be in the minority. Even my wife said that his physique still looks as though he is bulked up and so although he may now been clean he maqy well be benefitting from the drugs he took.
I think that the attitude of the BBC's commentators (past athetes) may well reflect the opinion of the current athletes although they cannot now comment,
Dwane had drawn the attention on himself by going on TV and Radio leading up to the relaease of his book and so after adding to the controversy must live with the comments good or bad after.
I do not think Dwane should be applauded for admitting the drugs charge, he was found Guilty both personally and in the wide Balco investigation he can hardly do anything else. He did not make things easy for himself upon returning to the sport by not undergoing out of competition tests for the period leading up and then resorting to law to be allowed back in.
It is not UK athletics which prevents him form competing on the European circuit but the race promotors Uk athletics has allowed him to race when he wants.
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"Even my wife said that his physique still looks as though he is bulked up and so although he may now been clean he maqy well be benefitting from the drugs he took."
Don't agree. He looks much leaner than just before he was was caught. The images from that period show it.
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What annoys me most is Chambers gets all this beef from the BBC and a few of the British public yet Ohuruogo gets no critiscism. Missing three tests is no coincedence.
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I like Dwain, I personally agree with the majority of comments, he is being victimised. I would say this is due to his obvious talent. Whitlock and Myerscough are not World standard, never have been and never will be, but Dwain was world class before the drug taking. Perhaps this is what sets him apart in people's eyes, they are more disappointed in him. The other athletes that have taken drugs (listed above) have been mediocre, so they have taken drugs to go way beyond their potential and ability, to try and improve massively. Maybe people tend to think thats more forgivable than Dwain trying to increase his performance slighty and at such a young age where there was obvious room for improvment through (clean) hard work.
Also Jonathan Edwards has given up his belief in God in the last few years, so is not a 'forgiving Christian' anymore.
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I am genuinely surprised by all the comments on this blog. If Chambers hadn't have been found out, he would still be cheating now, making mugs of you all. It amazes me you support him.
While I broadly agree that people should be given a second chance, I think Chambers has burnt that particularly bridge with his general martyr attitude - he constantly suggests he is a victim, which is ridiculous.
One blogger here labelled Steve Cram a 'disgrace', which in the context of the article's content is mind-boggling, unless he was being deeply ironic. I fully understand why the likes of Cram, Jackson and Edwards would have negative feeling towards a man who, in the same profession as them, cheated his way to the top. Think about the job you are in. Imagine a colleague cheating his or her way to the top, while you have done it the honest way - you would be a little aggrieved no?
There may be a general issue in terms of having ex-athletes as presenters, but that is a separate point, and anyway, is prevalent in all sports, so very widely accepted in today's sport media.
And the book - the elephant in the room which people who support Cram's point of view are not allowed to mention for some reason. Can't you see how manipulative the timing and the drip-feed content has been? Released the day after a major event and contentious views on two of the leading figures in the industry drip-fed to media in the preceding week. While I understand his publisher would have had a major influence on that to shift as many copies as possible, it doesn't suggest a man who is truly contrite or desiring the infamy to be put behind him. Fine, write a book, but do it when you retire. Chamber's faux-contrition is making mugs out of everyone who supports him, just as his drug taking did previously.
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Steve, you should be embarrassed at the lack of professionalism from the former athletes among the BBC commentators/pundits, especially Edwards.
You are supposed to be impartial and broadcast in an unbiased way - regardless of your personal views and whatever the rights and wrongs of what Chambers has done. That simply did not happen. Do not forget that we the licence-payers pay your generous salaries.
As for public opinion, it may not be a random selection, but look at the posts on the 606 message boards. A lot of people think Chambers has served his sentence and should be left to compete now.
We would be interested to hear your response.
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"You are supposed to be impartial and broadcast in an unbiased way"
This is a really tired argument and needs to be addressed. Every sports presenter / pundit professes opinion about what is happening in their field, both on and off the 'pitch'.
For example, Mike Atherton is a brilliant cricket correspondent and is very forthright in his views. Note, his views, not neutral statements. It is very interesting to hear and we, the public with a brain, can decide if we agree or not. Same for Alan Hansen or Andy Gray with football, John McEnroe and Pat Cash with tennis, John Virgo with snooker, the list goes on. All ex-players who have strong and very valid personal opinions about what goes on around them, which they profess on the BBC or other channel.
Would you really prefer sports presented with anodine, neutral statements with no personal opinion whatsoever? Maybe you would, but I prefer the context, colour and thought-provoking debate which can result from informed opinion.
The impartial and unbiased argument really dooesn't stand up at all.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Let's pick a different example, and with no intended criticism of the persons themselves.
After a highly-publicised battle with drugs, Amy Winehouse makes a full recovery, denounces her former "contacts" and makes the best album of her life.
What would happen then? Would she face snide interviewing and this kind of altruistic claptrap from the media? calls for her to be barred from making any more music?
Or would she be the start guest on Jonathan Ross, hearing what a fabulous job she'd made of beating her demons and her rehabilitation?
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Although I am a regular visitor to the BBC sport pages, and have read many excellent blogs in the past by experts, I have never felt the need to put my point across in response to any views or points raised. However, the combinations of the European Indoor Championships coverage and Mr Crams above views in his blog have made me want to express my view.
The use of national television as a soapbox for these ex athletes to air their own personal grievances is shameful. The coverage of the athletics was amateurish, and the blatant bias and impartiality replant.
Chambers was a 23 year kid, who, through naivety, inpatients and most probably bad mentorship, made a huge mistake which has not only ruined what would have probably been the best and most successful years of his career, but also to a certain extent his life and future prospects. This is a person who was born to sprint, who does not have anything else to fall back on and who has a young family that need to be provided for. He is now producing brilliant performances on a world stage and, in doing so, showing tremendous character to ignore his detractors and focus on what he does best.
Whilst not condoning Chambers drug taking, which was both a stupid and dishonest way to achieve his ambitions and goals, I feel that the vilification and attempted segregation of Chambers is perhaps more shameful. This is a human being, who has no money, no other skill which will enable him to make a living, and who has paid his price in full for his drug taking past. Carl Myerscougth, another past drugs cheat, has worn an international shirt on a number of occasions since his drugs ban, and competed at commonwealth and European championships level for his country. At these events, it must be said, those same commentators not only managed to discuss his involvement without feeling the need to express views with regards to his past, but also celebrated his status as a medal prospect. The double standards here I find amazing.
With regards to the publication of Chambers Autobiography, I would like to ask these experts what they would do to support themselves and their family, if they were frozen out of all athletics meets, and had to find a way to fund their training, so that they can take advantage of their only way of making a living from the sport at major championships.
As long as Chambers is abiding by the rules of Athletics, and keeping clear of drugs to enhance his performances then he should be left alone. What I object to is being told how we should think and treat this man in the black and white way it is put to us by the likes of Cram and Jackson, when, as commentators on the BBC, a channel famed for its impartiality, their opinions should be limited to his performances on the track.
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I have grown up watching Chambers' career - from the young hopefull at the 1998 Europeans, to picking up Bronze in the 1999 Worlds, and cheering him on as a genuine medal prospect in the next few major events, including the Gold in the 2002 Europeans.
I feel hurt knowing, or rather not knowing, which performances were real and which were drug-enhanced. I cheered him on every championship and now i feel it was a waste and i, as a viewer, have been cheated.
However, as in life, everyone deserves a second chance. Everyone makes mistakes for many different reasons. Dwain made his, it hurt many people, but we all have to deal with it and move on.
I admit that i can't feel the same affinity to Dwain that i felt before his positive test. But it's time to forgive and forget.
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I subscribe to the vast majority of posts above.
There is a huge inconsistency between how Dwain has been treated and other British athletes who have failed drugs tests.
The guy was young when he did it, but that was over 6 years ago. He has served his time, repented and is trying to make amends and should be allowed to do so.
It seems to be that he is a victim of his own honesty.
UK Athletics are doing no favours for the image of athletics by pursuing this. Given Dwaine's co-operation with to help improve the drug testing process, they are missing a huge opportunity for positive PR. If they embrace him t would be a win-win situation.
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I hope by now Steve you have got the point?Unless everyone on here is a personal friend of Mr Chambers the general concensus fronmthe Athletic watching public at least is stop moaning and leave the lad alone.He has made his mistake,done his time but thats still not good enough for some .If drug taking carried a lifetime ban then thats a different matter but at present it doesn't .There are many examples far worse than DC over recent years (Blonska) who are repeat offendersand others who the media say very little about (Myerscough?).What about a campaign to wipe out all those records from the 80's by east europeans that are all drug related in both athletics and swimming?Its time to move on and leave the lad alone,provided he says what he did was wrong and he is telling young kids the same let him run I say,who knows he might even do some good for our overweight under excercising kids.Enough!!!
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What a fantastic set of responses to a frankly unformed and ridiculous article.
Cram has tried to suggest that the general public is not happy with Dwain and are against him and yet almost all the comments are from "the general public" saying the complete opposite.
Nobody condones what Dwain did but most respect his response of late and all clearly appreciate his fantastic performances.
Cram and all the other sensationalist pundits need to climb down off their respective high horses and then maybe they will actually be able to hear what the public are really saying.
Dwain has been used by athletics to make a point which i don't have a problem with. However, he has adopted that and is providing fuel through his current drug free performances to really make the point hit home!
We should know be praising him not trying to bring him down any further.
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Agreed AJBenno80, UK Athletics have treated Chambers like a wet dog coming in and leaving muddy footprints all over the rug. They could've handled this situation so much better rather than attempting to bury their heads in the sand and pretend he wasn't around.
The sheer naked desperation for Pickering to beat Chambers last year was particularly distasteful, and now sadly seems to have impacted negatively on Pickering's own morale and performances.
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I too am very disturbed by Cram's impartiality on the Chambers issue. It seems to me that the athletics world has imposed 2 punishments onto Chambers. Firstly his official ban of 2 years and secondly his unofficial ban whereby he can't really realistically work.
I wish that Chambers had been banned for life but the athletics authorities were not brave enough to do that. Therefore, he served his official punishment and, like it or not, should be able to ply his trade. Other ex-drug users seem to be able to function without comment or hindrance.
The constant sniping from the BBC athletics team has made me feel very sorry for Chambers - and this is something that I am sure I should not be feeling.
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@ agaskew (no. 67)
Completely different context. Recreational drugs are not the issue here. I'm sure Winehouse hasn't solely taken drugs to improve her song writing performance.
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I'm pleasantly surprised that the vast majority of responses to Mr. Cram's blog are so in accordance with my own views.
I too was disgusted by how Cram off camera and Edwards on it seemed more concerned about a book than the fantastic achievement by Chambers.
J. E. used to be a Christian. Can he not find it in his heart to forgive as he once was taught?
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I agree with majority of posters here. I'm sick of the negativity from people such as cram and edwards etc! I just hope the BBC will kick these guys off their high horse and sack them.
All my thoughts have been covered in here tbh, all i have to say is well done chambers!
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There are a few points I'd like to pick up on here:
1. Impartiality
The BBC is a publically-funded organisation and, as such, has an obligation to remain impartial as far as possible.
That doesn't mean that individual commentators have to be impartial - far from it, in fact - but that the commentary team as a whole ought to present a balanced opinion.
We had 3 commentators who used every opportunity to denigrate Dwayne Chambers and they ganged up every time. At times, it was like watching a bunch of playground bullies trying to convince all the other kids that Little Dwayne still wets his bed and that they shouldn't be his friends.
If the BBC had included someone in their commentary team who could have at least put forward a lot of the arguments that have been expressed in these comments - not necessarily a big Dwayne fan but at least a devil's advocate with a sense of fairness - it would have very quickly become apparent that the three stooges didn't have absolute authority on the matter.
For us as viewers, we could have been spared the snide comments and attempts at getting Dwayne banned for the content of his book. If you want to pass comment on him publically, at least be prepared to defend your position.
On the subject of which, I notice that Steve Cram hasn't responded to anything that's been said in these comments.
2. The British
The Oracle wrote: "... we're British and have a good sense of whats fair and right ? LOL...This is why the British LOVE their real Champions - recognition of the sacrifices and efforts they make every day to reach the top"
I couldn't disagree with you more and my prior comment about Steve Cram's opinion of Greg Rutherford is a perfect example.
I have little doubt that Greg Rutherford has worked his socks off since he's been involved with athletics. He's had all sorts of injury troubles but he comes to the European Indoor Championships and jumps a personal best. How is that a recognition of the sacrifices and efforts he's made every day?
Oh, but he didn't "reach the top" so that makes it alright, doesn't it? He's the best in Britain but because he finished 5 steps from the summit of the tallest mountain in Europe, it's okay to say he didn't do well enough.
Marilyn Okoro made a mistake with her tactics and finished outside of the medals. And people thought she might do better so it's fine to have a go at her. And the same for Sarah Claxton, who, lest we forget, equalled her own British record in the semi finals. And others.
All of these people gave their all in the pursuit of getting a medal at the Championships. It's pathetic that some are condemned for falling short, some are praised for doing better than expected (despite not getting a personal best in some cases), and one is condemned even when he brings home the gold.
In fairness to the British public, the comments on this blog do suggest that at least some have a "sense of whats [sic] fair and right" but all too often people either believe the media's representation of things or are unwilling to admit that they're unwilling to forgive, claiming that whilst two wrongs don't make a right, he shouldn't have done wrong in the first place.
Everyone makes mistakes, people; everyone does things they regret; and everyone deserves the opportunity to atone for those mistakes and misdemeanours.
Imagine the education system treated people the same way. We all either had a sneaky look at the paper of the person next to us, copied someone's homework when we'd forgotten or been too lazy to do it, or got a little bit of help from mum and dad when we didn't know something.
If schools treated pupils the way the media continues to treat Dwayne, the streets would be filled with expelled children without a hope of a career because of a lack of education and a tarnished reputation for being a cheat.
Dwayne, I hope you're reading the comments people have made on here too and that they give you some small comfort in what has become a constant barrage of bitterness aimed at you.
For my part, I wish you the best of luck with the rest of your career and I'll be watching whenever you get the chance to compete, supporting you along with the other British athletes.
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So where is Mr Cram's response to all these posts ?!?
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I am confused by the claims by quite a few of the people who have written in here.
Chambers cheated. He was caught.
Now , where does Honesty come into this?
I read that he was Honest about what he had done - after being caught . Is that not making a virtue out of a necessity? What else could he say?
I have read that he "regrets" his honesty!!
He cheated - that is what he regrets being honest about.
If his unarguable talent was already there, why cheat?
Now he has cheated , been caught, been "honest" about it , he is seen by some as a "Role model" ! Not for my kids he won't be.
I haven't read his book and if it is full of this self justification then I am better off not doing so.
I also still see Christine O's name being used as an example of a cheat. She missed drug tests , she payed the price. Not once has she ever been found to have used drugs. Her talent is due to her hard work.
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While I do not condone what DC has done, both Steve Cram and co need to come off their hypocritical soap box.
If I am not mistaken did the British shot putter Karl Miasco also test postive for drugs many years ago. However the commentators such as cram do no discuss him in the same light.
Yes Dwain was very stupid, also the fact that he published the book, means he is probably still being mis-guided.
He has served his ban, yes he does need to build bridges and writing the book was not the right way. But comments from cram and co need to be proffesional and un-bias, and not as it came across, relish boos and jeers.
I do not want the sport to be brought into disrupte as I love Athlectics and hope my children will compete as I did one day. However we need to move on.
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Well Steve, you can't help but show your contempt for Dwain, even when he wins a gold medal. It's very sad. Your comments and Jonathan Edwards' comments on the BBC coverage were very sad, and demonstrated your blinkered hypocrisy.
Dwain took performace-enhancing drugs. He served his ban. He has apologised and he is contrite and has repeated the apology many times. He never broke the law, he transgressed the rules of a sport and has served his time. You and Jonathan seem to think he is morally reprehensible and should not run again.
You were banned from driving Steve, for carrying too many passengers in the back of your vehicle without seatbelts. You were a potential danger to other road users. Dwain was not a danger to others. Should we call you a 'road cheat' wherever you go and stop you driving anywhere ever again?
Jonathan employed Andy Norman as his agent after Norman was sacked as Promotions Officer by British Athletics. Norman was sacked after being found by a coroner to have contributed to the suicide of journalist Cliff Temple. Jonathan did not criticise Norman. Dwain has not contributed to anyone's death.
Stop being a hypocrite. Move on. Take a lead from Charles Van Commenee who, thankfully, is not swayed by hyperbole or sensation, but deals calmly in facts and realises that we all make mistakes and we all move on from those mistakes. Just like Steve and Jonathan have, after their own errors of judgement.
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Colin Jackson seems to have forgotten the years he spent training with a drug cheat. What is the difference between his ex training partner and Dwain Chambers?
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Cannot help but agree with so much with whats already been posted, the three guys are so obviously anti-Chambers its ridiculous. He is eligible to run under the present rules in place (apart from the Olympics) so just let him get on with it and accept it. And their talk of the IAAF stopping him competing and evidently supporting that in their rant on Sunday is even more ridiculous.
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I like the blurb underneath the heading for this blog on the athletics homepage:
"You can't deny his performance but most people seem unhappy with Dwain"
Who would most people be then?? The BBC commentating team? Or the Italians who conveniently took advantage of DC's past to try to stake their claim on the gold medal and, most likely, would have cheered had an Italian not been on the podium??
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Steve, who do you thinks sets more of an example to young people? An ex-cheat who has reformed or a BBC 'personality' who seems to think he has the right to sit in judgement on people?
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Steve, who do you think sets a better example to young people? An ex-cheat who has reformed or a BBC 'personality' who seems to think he has the right to sit in judgement of others?
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Change the record, Steve! Wait until Chambers is allowed to run at a meeting in London and see what the public's reaction to him is.
I think public sympathy for Dwain is building because of the campaign against him.
At least he has won something, which is more than can be said for a lot of the over-funded underavhievers in the UK athletics tem.
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Steve given the overwhelming support for Dwaine Chambers in response to your Blog, will you admit that perhaps you are wrong to say 'the vast majority of people in the sport and out of it seem unhappy with him'.
If Dwaine has a successful summer he should be made a flag bearer to say actually I have done as well, or even (touch of wood) better without drugs than I did it with them, but to do that there has to be some level of forgiveness from within the sport.
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My views on Dwain have changed. I thought as a doping-cheat he deserved all he got. Well, he was caught and the sport imposed its sanction. If the powers that be don't like the fact he is back competing then chasten the rule-makers, what more can the guy do - he's paid his price. He's back clean and has done well.
About his book - the truth sometimes hurts, and as ugly as the truth is, I think we would all rather hear about it.
I'd pay to watch Dwain, but please stay clean!!
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Either Chambers has a lot of friends and relatives or there seems to be a lot of misguided supporters here.
Ask yourselves - Do you really think he would have stopped cheating if he hadn't been caught?
I can't believe so many people want to make a hero of somebody who has tarnished the sport.
If he hadn't been British and maybe a Brit came second to him would you have been happy?
If he is struggling to make a living then I have no sympathy for him as it is of his own making.
It is because of people like him that I can't take this sport seriously anymore, which is a shame as it used to give me great joy.
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I am so board of this self righteous vitriol. He did wrong he got caught he has served his punishment end of. What is wrong with all these so called stars of UK athletics either accept the system that you signed up to or get it changed to a life ban.
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The point most people forgot about Chambers is he was welcomed back with open arms in the past. There is no vendetta against him just because he took drugs, as many claim. If he was just a naive kid who made a mistake and wanted to attone for it many would welcome him back - as they did originally.
But Chambers hasn't done this. He's disappeared telling the media he's no longer interested in athletics and therefore wasn't tested. We cannot say he was clean during that period as we do not know - that is the doping procedures fault rather than his, but does someone who has cheated before deserve the benefit of any doubt? We have to question whether he really is as clean as he claims.
We also have to question if he really is as opposed to drugs as he claims. If he knows people were compliant in his original drug-taker he should be naming them and ensuring they are out of the sport. He shouldn't be sitting on that information for years and then using it to sell a book.
There's no way the BBC could avoid a major athletics news story and I wonder how many complaints there would be on here if it wasn't mentioned. Indeed, the support for Chambers on here is a sign of the people who are upset being those who support him - had they supported him there wouldn't be a lot of people backing that but the Chambers-haters complaining about a lack of balance.
Chambers serialised his comments before a Championship to ensure free publicity. Whether the BBC is responsible for that is irrelevant - there were newspaper reports about drug taking and athletics in the days running up to a weekend of televised athletics. If that's not him setting the wrong example I don't know what is - he's doing all he can to ensure the general public think of drugs when they see the sport which is hardly going to bring new people in.
If you're not prepared to judge Chambers on mistakes he made when he was younger, that's fair enough. But the disgraceful way in the last year he's walked away from the sport slacking it off and now come back untested, caused a lot of unrest in his campaign to run in the Olympics which was never going to succeed, and now the new comments in the week before another championship is something which really should be judged on.
Do we want to have arguments about drugs overshading the World Championships this summer? Anyone interested in the sport's best interests will say no. Let's see if Chambers tries to put it on the agenda in the run-up to the event.
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I understand and sympathise with Cram because he worked hard to get the success he did as did Jackson and Edwards. It would be easy to blithely criticise their viewpoint without knowing the lengths they have gone to achieve in their respective sports. Their response should serve to educate us on just how demoralising drug taking is to clean athletes.
Sure Chambers served his time but these athletes know the huge sacrifices they made to reach the heights they did cleanly and it is churlish to suggest their reaction is without foundation as they are human beings and their feelings clearly run deep because they know the damage drugs does to the sport.
The only point I would make is that the likes of Myerscough and Whitlock did get a far easier ride. I would suggest the difference in the two cases is 1, they did not go on about it after the event, and 2 they were never world beaters after they returned to competition.
But go easy on the commentators because they have achieved a lot for the UK and deserve our respect and we should use their reaction as an insight into how it feels to compete against drug cheats.
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Is this what people do these days? Find one wrong in a person and remind of it until the day he dies, use it against him to make sure it hurts? To be perfectly honest, people who do this are themselves at fault. They get pleasure out of abusing others because it hides their own.
Dwain Chambers is a truly exceptional athlete, one of the best to hit the tracks. Yes he has made mistakes, he's human after all, and corrected them. He served his time and should be free now. But no! The media cant do that, since they have nothing better to do but inflict damage on someone they continue to chase this man, one who has changed for the better, who has defied all odds to bounce back in a sport he loves, who has come back stronger than before.
Shouldnt he be used as a perfect example of how drugs can only ruin your life? He's only gotten better. he has learnt the hard way and im sure that he wishes that others dont waste their lyf by doing the same.
So Dwain, all the best to you. You are a true human, Keep it up!
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It was go good run by Mr Chambers on saturday and sunday. Doing 6.42 in the S/F AND 6.46 in the finel.
He has done his time so the papers should get of his back
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STEVE ...... There are quite a few people here bleating on about how poor Mr Chambers should be given another chance. I suspect that the majority have never been serious athletes themselves. have been an athlete for 45 yrs and am sick of all the coverage given to Dwain Chambers ..... when he took drugs it was NOT a mistake ..... if he hadn't got caught he would STILL be taking them make no mistake about that. He (and others) is a cheat who has disgraced a clean honest sport and I personally would not race him in a village green event. As for still being allowed to wear a British vest it is DISGRACEFUL ..... who are these people running UK Athletics ? We must stand up for the future of athletics ...... once you cheat there is no way back to a British vest.
Tough luck Mr Chambers you knew the consequences. WE MUST TAKE A TOUGH STANCE TO SHOW ANY POTENTIAL DRUG TAKERS OF THE FUTURE THAT IT WON'T BE TOLERATED.
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Firstly, Edwards renounced his Christianity in June 2007 so we should ignore blogs about his "Christian faith". That said, his interview with Chambers was dreadful and too probing by far - perhaps Edwards needs to know the meaning of the word "forgiven" again. Not of us are perfect and ALL of us need reconciliation.
Like many others on here, I agree that Chambers has served his time and we must all move on. As for the book, what else could Cram et al. expect? Chambers is in debt, has very little chance of making income on the European circuit and was like a wounded beast when compiling his book. Yes he made a monstrous mistake but Cram, Edwards and Jackson are going to have to see life from Chambers current stance and that he had no chance of paying off his debt any other way.
It is clear that the "Three Grumps" are too bitter ands twisted to conduct themselves in an impartial objective manner and should probably be replaced.
I am delighted with the overwhelming response of bloggers on this site - clearly feeling that the BBC (and UK athletics) has missed out on a very powerful message to send out to young athletes i.e. Take drugs you lose; Clean you win.
Cram's absence from his own blog is deafening. Forgive, forget and let’s all move on - is that so hard?
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My viewing was ruined by STEVE CRAM, COLIN JACKSON and JOHNATHAN EDWARDS constantly refering to Chambers' book. It was unessecary and boring.
I couldnt see the need for it was an irrelevant sideshow. I wanted to watch the championships. The other commentator (i dont know his name) who comments on the action, did a much better job by ignoring the trailing circus.
The neutral stance of the BBC ws also compromised
This blog is pretty predictable, did CRAM expect a crowd of Italians not to jeer? It would have been quite different if Chambers had been wearing an Itaian vest, so he shouldn't imply that the crowd was againt him because he is a former doper. Italians tend to choose whatever suits them best at the time as they are very patriotic
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Aparantly all the people who are posting on here are in the minority according to Steve Cram. What planet is he on?!
Steve if you had any guts and wanted to increase your respect amongst the general public, you would respond to these comments of which 90-95% completely disagree with your own personal view.
Or are views of the public not as important as the views of licence funded sports commentators?
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The vast majority of people on here have got it completely wrong, and I fully endorse what Steve Cram is trying to do.
The only reason we all keep talking about him and are now rising in support for him, is all down to Cram, Jackson and Edwards constantly spouting off about him.
When will we all realise that they are his secret brothers from different marriages, and this is all one big conspiracy, to make us all support Dwain more!
Well done Crammy, your plan worked.
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Chambers just isn't one of the 'in crowd' and therefore can never be forgiven. He's too straightforward, too open. He doesn't have the appropriate PC attitude for the BBC.
He screwed up, served his sentence and deserves a second chance.
If that's not good enough for the BBC boys, then they should lobby to change the laws - a lifetime ban for drug cheats is fine by me.
What's Linford doing these days?
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The view that Chambers can never be forgiven is an awful one to take. I do not agree with what Chambers did but he has served his time. If we were take the never forgiven stance, you would have every person ever committed of a criminal offence out of work because what they did was wrong.
What I find most sad, as I said in my original post, is that Steve and the whole BBC Comentary team cannot focus on the positives of the weekend.
I agree the Chambers story was important but it didn't need the constant talk the whole weekend. Equally as important was the performance of Mo Farah. A true breaktthrough for a lovely young man who has worked so hard.
The European Indoors are all about experience they provide a great stepping stone for the medal hopes of tomorrow.
Okoro may have gotten her tactics wrong, we have all been there and done that and one learns from their mistakes. Isn't it great that Okoro did not make the mistake in the Olympic final in 2012.
My coach always said you can ask no better than a PB. Therefore Steve, Rutherfords jump was the best that we could have asked for. Sure a medal would have been nice but I think we should be praising Rutherford's perseverance (through constant injuries) rather than saying his performance was not good enough.
Whilst the press want to see medals galore, they must not forget that everyone has to start somewhere. Take Mo Farah as an example, he has dominated races in the UK for years but it is only now that he has finally won a major medal. Thats well over 10 years of hard work (as you know Steve). Just because England and Scott didnt make the 1500 final or just because Rutherford didnt get a medal or just because Pickering finished down the field in the 60m DOES NOT mean they will not have taken anything away from the weekend.
I am not asking for a huge pat on the back for poor performances. But what I do wish is that certain elements of the sport stop harping on about the old days and get out their and help/support the stars of tomorrow.
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"I'm running out of things to say about Dwain."
Well, then, Steve, talk about something else!
I used to respect you as a commentator and put you well above the other amateurish presents that the BBC has employed for athletics. However, since you started whining and moaning about Chambers, I really do think that you need to rethink your raison d'etre at the BBC, since, as far as I am aware, objectivity and actually commentating on the proceedings are what you might be expected to do.
I do appreciate that a blog is a personal outlook on things but you let your subjectivity seep into your main work. I might add that parts of this week's blog are also poorly organised and at times not clear. Did you do it in a rush?
Come on Steve, up your standards in all areas and leave Dwain (about the only decent thing we've got) alone!
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While it is true, that we should not continually go on about misdemeanours athletes did in the past and punished for, I doubt if any posters here are or were top international athletes in the way that Cram, Edwards and Jackson were. Their commitment to the sport and their huge achievements in the past will naturally mean their feelings run much deeper than yours or mine regarding drug taking by their competitors (worse by their team-mates) so forgiving and forgetting will be much harder especially when the guilty party keeps harping back to his offence by writing a book.
He was wrong. Either say nothing or say sorry but don't defend it or pass the buck onto others (as he has with John Regis and Christine Ohuruogu) to assuage or dissipate the guilt.
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I don't think Mo Farah, 'lovely young man' or not, deserves to be talked about in the same breath as Dwain Chambers.
Why? Because in terms of elite level performance, Farah is not yet in Dwain's league. Chambers ran the third fastest 60 metres ever - EVER - on Saturday yet to the BBC team this was almost incidental compared to the fact that Chambers shouldn't have released his book, Chambers shouldn't be allowed to compete etc, etc.
Why was Farah's display the highlight of the weekend? In global terms he is still a long way off the best - let's hope he gets there but he's nowhere near yet. Chambers is already absolute world class and we should all support him as one of our few genuine world individual medal contenders.
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Quite hilarious, I posted on Merry's blog asking her opinion on the drug cheat Linford Christie and it was deleted as it was considered to appear to be potentially defamatory.
And therein lies my gripe, it is OK to crucify Chambers however a post gets removed about Christie being factually mentioned to as a drug cheat for which he was once let off and on the other occasion suspended for 2 years.
Chambers is easy pickings, so commentators and the lot will always have a go, underlining a 'bully boy' mentality society is blighted with.
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Chambers has been invited to the GOLDEN LEAGUE meet in Berlin! I'm so happy for him. I wonder what the 3 pontificators make of it! Will they be appealing this decision, I wonder!
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Good decision by the meet organisers. Will this be the first of many? I certainly hope so.
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In response to number 111:
If you dont believe that holding the 2nd fastest time in the world for the 3,000m is not "absolute world class" then I do worry.
If you don't believe making a world final in your first world champs and finishing 6th is not showing the potential of being "absolute world class" then I do worry.
Chambers and Farah compete in different events. I appreciate that because its not the blue ribboned event some find it hard to gage what is world class but surely the 2nd fastest time this year is a pretty good indicator?
Farah deserves press attention. He really does. This is the sort of man that we should be encouraging. THink about it by 2012 he will be in his prime. As much as I admire Dwain and dont want to take anything away from his comeback, I struggle to see him lining up in London as a real medal prospect (lets remember we still havent seen him run a full 100 yet). It is for this reason that I wish the Beeb had devoted less time to his book and more time on the performances of our younger up and coming athletes.
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@ Post 116, Chambers will not line up in London unless the BOA change their bylaws. He is currently banned from the Olympics.
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"Sometimes we sit on or hands in Britain and say nothing. Opinion seems to be more polarised in Britain, but most people across the world in the sport - the audiences and newspapers included - all seem to be less sympathetic. "
If that's the case, why have the German meet promotors just invited him to the Golden League? The most exclusive of events.
Surely that was not just another vain attempt to stir up hatred for Chambers, by pretending us in the UK don't "get it", when it comes to what people abroad think. I guess the Golden League doesn't "get it" either!
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Moving away from the Dwain Chambers circus...Bit harsh to say that Greg Rutherford didn't perform well considering he jumped a personal best??
Think Cram is rather too optimistic about British medal opportunities. The problems that existed in Bejiing are still there and will need time to be fully addressed. I would suggest the summer is too early to expect a revival, let alone this championships.
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It doesn't seem to be the fact that Dwain Chambers took drugs that riles Steve Cram, but rather that he admits it and talks openly about the other people that did it.
Crammy and UKA would much prefer British atheletes to play their part in preserving the pretty delusion that drug cheats are all foreigners.
Dwain Chambers used to be a drugs cheat. Unlike most others, he is now at least honest about it. We hope and trust that he doesn't use drugs any more, and if he doesn't then he is unquestionably the best male track athelete we've got: let's therefore celebrate him and everything he achieves.
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still no comments from Mr Cram on his own blog ?!
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Now his points about Chambers being hated by the athletics-watching public have been emphatically repudiated by the response to his blog, I daresay Mr Cram is keeping his head down for a while.
I always preferred Steve Ovett anyway...
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I wouldn't have known Chambers was bringing a book out if the coverage hadn't mentioned it so much.
I've just been to see if I can order it on-line from a well known e-retailer but it is temporarily out of stock!
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Its wierd that Ohuruogou got slaughtered by a much higher percentage of posters when it seemed clear she was drug free than Chambers who was clearly consciously cheating for several years.
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Does anyone know if Cram has ever posted a comment on any of his blogs? His silence is quite strange to me given that every other blogger I'm aware of REGULARLY read and RESPOND to comments on their blog!
PS: Dwain was interviewed live on Sky news today. I think he did very well under a barrage of questions from two reporters. He also confirmed he's still in contact with BALCO's Victor Conte for "educational purposes" only!
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@ Post 126, you'll stand in good stead if you get your facts right!
.................
"The book just backs this point up completely, especially when he doesn't want to comment on its content or to defend it."
....................
Chambers was in fact commenting on the contents of his book and defending it this lunchtime live on Sky news!
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It is cringe worthy to read those post comments along the lines of "I've been doing athletics for 45 years so I my opinion counts for more than ...." or "because you haven't been as successful as Cram, Edwards or Jackson you won't feel the pain they feel towards and athlete that cheats."
This is just horse s**t. We all are entitled to an opinion as no matter how long we've been involved in the sport or how successful we've been. Being elite and how hard people train are very tenuously linked as anyone who plays sports competitively (at any level) knows.
So we all have a right to an opinion, Cram et al. have their right and we the viewing public have our right. From the 127 previous articles it seems that about 122 are in favour of a) giving Dwain a break and b) getting some semblance of balance in the commentary from the BBC.
Changing the subject ever so slightly, I felt that the coverage was an absolute joke by the BBC. Aside from Bert, Ernie and Oscar the Grouch (I'll let you guess who I mean) bleating the same rhetoric at every given opportunity, we were subjected to Steve Backley (who is a good commentator) commentating on the triple jump. Surely the aforementioned former Christian would have been better placed to do that. Furthermore we were also subjected to conversations about how Jackson had long jumped further than Edwards and how Jackson used to be a decathlete. Did anyone care? I certainly don't. They saved the best for last though in my opinion. They wasted so much time trying to convince everyone what a demon Chambers is but they couldn't spare a minute to interview the men's 4x400m team after a pretty heroic performance to win silver. For me this was unforgivable.
I can't afford Sky TV so I couldn't switch over to Eurosport. In the end I just turned the TV onto mute mode and watched our athletes give their all in silence. Well done to ALL those who competed, well done to Charles Van Comanee and well done to Berlin’s organisers. BBC Sport please note the views of the majority of the viewing public (at least those posted here) and rethink your commentary team selection.
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Well done Dwain a fantastic display against all opposition. As with many people I was irritated by the political opinionated reporting by the BBC 'presenters'. They talk about a lack of quality sprinters in the country when we should be talking about a lack of quality presenters in the country. dwain should do as Alex Ferguson has done and boycott the BBC and respond solus to ITV. This would eliminate their only source of publicity and might inspire them to actually recruit credible journalists to give depth and insight to their coverage.
I dont want to constantly hear about Steve Crams or Jonathon Edwards opinions on drug cheats during coverage of a meet, Id rather watch the steeplechase. These opinions should remain exactly that and should only be given the appropriate level of coverage during news worthy programme.
If only these presenters trained as hard as they did as atheletes into maintain a level of unbiase reporting then it would be a more enjoyable experience. Instead I find myself generating more adrenaline through sheer annoyance than the sprinters.
I am done. I bid you adieu.
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Greg Rutherford got a pb, how can you say he performed badly??? It's people like you Cram who keep a cloud over our athletes and destroy their confidence.
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I watched Chambers being interviewed by Edwards and Jackson for the BBC the other day. I have to say that it was plainly obvious Edwards and Jackson were ignoring him while they carried on their own conversation immediately prior to the interview. It was childishly petty and very rude in my opinion, and doesn't reflect well on either of the BBC commentators. They merely embarrass themselves with their holier than thou antics. Not clever!
It's actually quite interesting to observe how their sense of self-importance has increased now they are in show business for the BBC, and they have a public forum for their shallow rhetoric and prejudices, rather than performing out on the track.
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I am pretty glad that having come across this blog, I am not the only one tired of reading and watching the likes of Steve Cram giving Dwain a hard.
I had to switch channels during the atletics becos of the obvious bias against him by Colin Jackson and Jonathan Edwards as it was uncomfortable to watch.
I dont know why Steve Crams think the majority of the public are against him but after reading the comments on his blog,im sure he'll change his opinion.
I think everyone here has covered all the main points but its time to the likes of Mr Cram to let it go and let Dwain move on
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I thought Steve Cram again was quick to point out the boos which to be honest i didn't hear.
Whatever respect I had for Steve Cram, Colin Jackson went out the window a long time ago with there constant preaching and bleating.
Steve at times has been so biased it almost had a smell of racial undertones.
Did Dwain ruin your life Steve?
No he didn't he ruined his own. Get of his back. If you can't be partial get of the box.
It's a pity you didn't have the same ethics when Marion Jones came back to the track after being accused by association and lying to congress. Maybe Dwain should have lied, then he would have got your respect!
You and you hear no evil, see no evil crew are pathetic.
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Steve, Steve, are you there? If so have you read this? Something tells me you already have....
Why Dwain Chambers
should be credited for
telling truth about
sporting corruption
By Oliver Holt (Chief Sports write at the Daily Mirror) 11/03/2009
It has been hysterical watching the moral majority lambast Dwain Chambers this week, foam spewing from their mouths.
Can't they see that all they are doing is falling into the biggest trap in sporting history of shooting the messenger?
Can't they see, that for all his faults, Chambers is just shining a light on a corrupt sport's heart of darkness?
I suppose it's easier to pretend that the problem in athletics goes no further than him, easier to cast him as a lone renegade in a sport otherwise as pure as snow.
It's easier to criticise him for the publication of his autobiography to coincide with the European Indoor Championships in Turin.
That criticism is entirely justified - but so far away from the issues that his book raises it is absurd to use it as a stick to beat him with.
Steve Cram, the desperately banal BBC commentator who epitomises the
"hear-no-evil, see-no-evil' approach to the sport, has been aghast at what Chambers has written.
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I am really happy that these blogs exist so we can pur the well deserved shame on the likes of Steve Cram, Edwards, Jackson and the rest. I have been following the whole Chambers debate from Gibraltar as a neutral observer, the treatment of the BBC presenters and just the general attitude towards him is just BORING and thoroughly unprofessional.
The majority of posters on this debate are in agreement on this, IT IS TIME TO MOVE ON.
The way the likes of Cram and the rest keep harping on about it is frankly embarassing. I hope he and the others are reading this blog, hopefully they will learn that their constant battering of Chambers carries NO WEIGHT among the public.
I really enjoy the fact that Chambers is so superior to all the rubbish that GB athletics is churning out (in the sprint department anyway) and the sour grapes on show are so obvious so as to make it laughable.
I hope Cram et al are embarassed when they read back over this blog. To the Editors, I recommend a drastic change in approach!!
And as anyone with a brain knows (obviously not these "journalists") it was not Chambers' decision to serialise his book in a newspaper when it actually happened, but the editor of that newspaper!!
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@Post 134, thank you so much for drawing my attention to that fabulous article by Oliver Holt! I had somehow managed to miss it! Will Cram be ignoring that article as well like he's ignoring his own blog? Here's the rest of the article:
...................
"While he continues to publicise the drugged-up image of the sport," Cram wrote, "then he can hardly be surprised when its supporters take a dim view."
That's where the divide lies. There are those of us who think that whatever Chambers may have done in the past, he deserves our gratitude for showing us the sport's squalid back alleys and the screams and howls you hear there. For being honest about the extent of the problem so that we can deal with it better.
And then there are those who are furious Chambers could not just keep his mouth shut.
They wanted him to stay true to the lie. And now he has betrayed their dirty little secret, they want to cast him out.
That's athletics all over.
It's not cheating that is costing Chambers so dear any more. It's telling the truth.
..................................
Three cheers for Oliver Holt for calling it exactly how it is!
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Steve, where are you?
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Isn't it bizarre that Carl Myerscough's (shot-putter) history of failed drugs tests doesn't get mentioned when he competes in events? It's alsmost as if there's double standards in athletics! Failed drugs test + high profile event = bad person, shouldn't compete.... failed drugs test + low profile event = we'll brush that one under the carpet. Get a grip, be consistent!
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Just a question - has nobody else noticed that Chambers is back being advised by Conte - the one who was jailed for dealing steroids?
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@Post 139- Yes, I found out about the continued relationship with Conte only yesterday. Dwain did (satisfactorily in my opinion) explain on Sky news yesterday why he continues to work with him. It seems the IAAF are ok with the arrangement.
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Do you really thinks its advisable to associate and continue to take training advice with someone with his record? The IAAF can do nothing about it
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My understanding of what Dwain said on Sky news is that Conte is helping the IAAF on an educational basis. I've read now on the BBC website that Dwain is also using some breathing technic Conte has developed. Like Dwain, he has served his time. I'm fully behind both of them! If they mess up again, then they deserve all the wrath that'll come their way!
I suspect this Conte association is the next attack Cram, Edwards and Jackson will use in cranking up their campaign against Dwain. I also suspect it will fail as more and more athletes start using the breathing technic!
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Why can't the controlling right-wing media and it's cronies aka Cram & co, just stop picking on Dwain?
They are the ones who keep bringing everything up, if only they just let it go, let Dwain have a couple of decent years and then everyone can carry on as normal.
The more the powers that be use their controlling powers, the more passionate I feel about fighting them, so long as Dwain keeps performing as he is.
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"I'm not failing any drug tests," he said. "I'm doing my sport clean. I just hope people will let the past be the past now."
Would it not be advisable to leave Conte in the past?
For the record I don't think UKA should have excluded Dwain from the sprint relay, especially so soon before the event
However, Cram, Edwards and Jackson are entitled to their opinion. Do you want them to lie? To the BBC impartialilty, well that's for politics, commentators are always expressing opinion on sporting figures
Its interesting that Cram et all expressing their opinion is deemed by many writers here as being worse than somebody cheating?
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We all KNOW their opinions! They don't have to ruin the BBC's athletic coverage by going on and on and on and on about it! We are the viewers. We are sick and tired of hearing the same thing said ad finitum! That's all!
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Trust a typcal ukathletics coach to raise the subject of Dwain and Conte. What is the problem? My husband is a ukathletics coach and he is really pleased to see him back and showing that UKA can't have everything there own way.
I think the trouble is that UKA started all this bad feeling back last year when they tried to exclude Dwain from everything, thinking they could do what they wanted. Backed up by our 3 ex athletes commentary it escalated - and it backfired.
Crammy's face at weekend was worth paying to see. Every word that was anything relating to a 'well done' was sticking in hsi throat. He used to be a really nice guy, now he never seems to smile.
The weekend coverage was awful. I switched to Eurosport and thankfully the Golden League is not subject to the BBC commentary team.
I wish Dwain good luck, he has my admiration for his strength of mind.
My copy of his book is on it's way. Really looking forward to reading it!
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Nobody has actually answered my question:
Do you really thinks its advisable to associate and continue to take training advice from someone with his record?
I actually don't agree with UKA on a lot of this and as I said think he should be in the sprint relay team.
But answer the question why is he still associating with Conte?
As for the commentators keep bringing the subject up, you might be right but releasing the book at the same time as the championship is bound to bring the subject out again. I don't blame him for bringing the book out at this time - but it inevitable that this will raise the drugs issue again
Can you not all find a better 'hero' to support?
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If anyone else has had comments removed for being allegedly defamtory but feels they have been harshly treated can I suggest they forward the removal emails to Private Eye (strobes@private-eye.co.uk). They're always keen to hear about any restictions on legitimate freedom of speech and people using positions of responsibility for their own ends!
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ukathleticscoach you seem to be missing the point big style.
What we are all saying is there have been many UK athletes caught taking drugs. But none of them have been vilified as much as Dwain. Why?
Why is it every time he competes do Cram and Co have to preach? How many times do we have to hear the same bile spouting from Jackson, Cram and Edward's?
Can you honestly answer has any other British Athlete been crucified this much for telling the truth?
We are not hero worshipping Dwain but we do admire that every time they try to break him he stays strong.
And because Dwain ruined his own life and not ours or Jackson, Cram & Co the majority will always side with the underdog.
The guy is trying to put his dark sporting past behind him, payback the money he owes and move on.
If the commentators at the Beeb didn't keep bringing his past up, book launch or not these blogs wouldn't exist.
And that's the truth.
We would gladly move on, I for one would love to watch athletics without the usual bleating dross. Comment on the present not the past.
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You still have not answered my question:
Do you really thinks its advisable to associate and continue to take training advice from someone with his record?
Is this 'trying to put his dark sporting past behind him'
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Advisable or not it's clear he has a relationship with this guy. As long as he clean what's the difference.
Since everybody is against him maybe this is the only guy he could turn to. Who knows. I don't and nor do you.
We've all made mistakes that have effected our own lives, so answer me this. Do we need to be reminded of them and lambasted for them everyday?
Or would you like to move on and try and correct your own mistakes?
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It was horrible watching 'that' interview. For someone, Edwards, who want to just move on and forget the past, he mentioned the whole drugs issue quite a few times. However it was not all doom and gloom as Chambers spoke to the Italian media first ignoring the requests from Edwards to come over and talk straight away, thus treating the BBC team with the same respect they afford him.
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'Or would you like to move on and try and correct your own mistakes?'
Is associating with Conte - moving on?
Anyway - just had a win on Kauto Star - so I don't really care!
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I have especially joined the BBC Sport blog to voice my opinion on the unprofessional and arrogant treatment of Dwain Chambers.
Don't get me wrong, Chambers messed up big time! when the news first broke of his drug cheating, I remember saying "well thats his career gone, how stupid"
But he has served his ban, and has and still is paying back the money he now owes.
Cram , Jackson and Edwards are putting thier own views to the viewing public, which is grating on my nerves!
For heavens sake, will the three of you stop with your childish snipping and get on with what me and other bbc licence payers are paying you to do. Comment on the sport.
Anymore of this and i'm watching athletics on another channel!
Good Luck Dwain!
Cram join the rest of us and move on!
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Dwain' s much publicised book (thanks to our BBC commentators) is a good read! Good examples of double standards with regards to the BOA.
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Enough is enough:
Shubob 'It seem the IAAF are ok with this:
"We're very surprised that he's still associating with people like Mr Conte," said an IAAF statement.
"And if he's looking forward to a career and claiming that he's doing that in all legality, it's probably wise to disassociate yourself with people with a reputation for being involved in doping in sport."
I'm no athlete 'Dwain and Conte. What is the problem' Are you for real. Do I need to spell out what the problem is
As for your husband being a coach. I hope he is telling all his athletes to take drugs. There's a small chance you'll get caught, have a couple of season out - and get back to it. Maybe some of us are not ok with this
Back to my point if you cannot see anything wrong with Dwain & Conte getting back together, then it does not matter what he does you will still support him. Your opinion is as polarised as the very people you critisise
Like I said he should be in the relay -that doesn't mean everyone has to like it
Lastly, were Cram and the rests comments not last weekend. Surely, you would have 'forgiven' them by now?
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uka athletics coach. You are the one with the polarised view. You need to get out more and see the real world as a lot of uk athletics fans are seeing the uka and ohers.
IAAF maybe surprised but it doesn't make it wrong or illegal. I haven't seen the news article by the IAAF. Perhaps you could provide me with the link as I would like to read it? I have only see a few sentences on one of the sporting websites.
Not being in the relay team for the World's is irrelevent and nothing to do with it.
As for your personal insult I will rise above this because it doesn't warrant a reply other than to say what a good coach you must be to make a remark like that.
Cram and forgiveness. Hmm he's just starting his ban. He's got a good few years yet before he can possibly be forgiven.
As I said, read the book. Maybe even you would have your eyes opened!
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
A very fair article about the Conte-Dwain-UKA situation:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/simonhart/blog/2009/03/13/without_the_support_of_uk_athletics_dwain_chambers_is_left_playing_a_dangerous_game
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Does UK athletics Coach think that Dwain should never be allowed to compete again under any circumstances? And in saying that, anyone who has ever failed any form of drugs test never allowed to compete again either? If so, then he has a real issue with UK Athletics and their policy and also with the IAAF and their policy, so his argument is against them not Dwain!
Or does he see Dwain as an exception to all other failed drugs cheats because he's heard about him more, and wants to see the guy lynched? His viewpoint must come from either of these two angles.
PS Maybe if UK Athletics were more supportive of Dwain in his comeback and attempts to get back in the sport, after SERVING his ban, maybe he wouldn't feel the need to ask Conte for help, given that Conte is probably the only person that has genuinely been there for Dwain throughout all of this, and not just used Dwain's name to shamelessly promote themselves, as some ex-athletes have been doing!
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I actually said he should be allowed tocompete in the relay
My problem is I was beginning to agree with you lot until I heard about his continued association with Conte. Then to bleat on about people not allowing the past to be put behind him is ridiculous
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ukathleticscoach,
That's a fair point. I am a Dwain supporter as you have probably gathered by now, but even I was slightly shocked that Dwain didn't seem to think that his association with Conte would give him an unneccessary public reaction.
Was Dwain just being naive again or is he just playing us public as fools? Anyone with half a brain can see, that if he does genuinely want to move forward, he would sever all ties with Conte, unless Conte is helping him to achieve to a level that without Conte he couldn't.
This is the first time in this whole saga that I feel Dwain has some questions to answer, i.e does he realise that his constant association with Conte is not helping his desired comeback?
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Only about your interview not the saga of the athlete himself - as we don't expect much in medal improvement here unless ppl go to Racers Lions Track Club or Glen Mills.
:-)
Expect the BBC commentator to be talking of ppl "acheiving PBs"/"unlucky injured athletes" in 2012.
About the interview: OK you're an ex-athlete - but you're now a journalist. To regurgitate the same thing about Chambers that you did in the Charles van Commenee interview seems odd. van Commenee, at the time, responded to you in a very diplomatic way - that a book coming out, its timing, may have as much to do with the editor/publisher.
Anyway, when is a good time to publish? now? next year? 2012?
There are retired politicians earning lots more who still feel the need to publish/to earn a bit more - lessmore an athlete who's had to try US football and is now back trying track.
I'm not pro or anti Chambers. However, your obvious bias is cringe-watching TV. The interviewee is the thing - not the interviewer. As your subject had to say to you "well let's talk about that performance" or words to that effect.
Let's not be too sanctimonious...lots of folks weren't caught. Move on.
Don't state the obvious - or it's no point interviewing people if you've made your mind up - or, in that case, just stand in front of the camera and pontificate.
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Uk Athletics coach, just a quick question that in truth is rhetorical. Is it okay that Jurgen Grobler is the UK rowing coach given his back ground? Strangely a lot of the people saying Chambers shouldn't associate with a coach tainted with a drugs history tend not to mention the past of the coach who masterminded rowing golds for GB. Still when it comes to Chambers people don't like to mention people who have commited similar offenses and slid under the public's radar. One might argue Chambers is being made a scapegoat.
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@164: Thank you for reminding us about Jurgen Grobler, the man whose past Sir STEVE REDGRAVE has publicly defended and who is responsible for THREE of Sir Steve's five olympic gold medals!
I believe Sir Steve has been an open critic of Dwain.........
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Let’s not forget that Dr Ekkart Arbeit was ‘welcomed’ into our coaching fraternity by Max Jones and Lynn Davies to coach Denise Lewis after she had her baby.
At the time Jonathan Edwards made a statement about it being time for rehabilitation not recrimination.
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More on Jurgen Grobler from the BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/58335.stm
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Im-no-athlete, you are on form today! Thank you so much! I believe it's information like the ones you've provided which are contained in Dwain's book which is now causing certain outspoken individuals some degree of discomfort!
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It was his book that reminded me. Failing memory must be a sign of old age!
If you haven't got it I think it's well worth it. Not quite finished it yet but very interesting. There will certainly be people squirming!
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Good points but 2 (or 3)wrongs don't make a right!
Has a British rower ever failed a drugs test?
Lets face it you will support DC whatever he does at least jobyjack has a balanced view
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My post has been referred for moderation yet again! Anyway, if Jurgen Grobler and Dr Ekkart Arbeit can be forgiven, I believe Conte should also be given a chance.
I will like to see a live debate where one can defend Grobler but take umbrage to Conte!
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The British love a good loser, we always have and probably always will....at what point we started to love a cheating winner I'm not quite sure but from the majority of posts above that seems to be the way we now are....ANYONE can make a mistake, but to get this right Dwain didn't make a mistake...it was a purposeful decision to go doown the route he took, a truly sad day when we send out this sort of message to aspiring athletes, that the true greats of British Athletics, past and present, must look upon with astonishment and sadness. I wonder if Usain Bolt thinks Dwain should get another chance ? Incredibly Dwain goes back to the same coach that was involved in the entire scandal ?? Rubbing our noses in it a little bit there D ? Personally I think we should continue down this route all the way to the Olympics, sarcasm, taking our eye off the real issue we ned to address, getting our honest athletes in the best shape to prepare for what should hopefully be a fantastic Olympics in 2012..judging by recent results there is still lots to do...but Dwain won again so lets all celebrate that !
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I don't think you can just pass me off as a Chambers fan, UkAthleticsCoach, and assume that devalues my point. I am neither a fan nor someone who dislikes him, I am however someone who hates seeing someone piledrived into the ground. There are massive inconsitancies in people's complaints about what Chambers has done because many other athletes have done similar. The only difference is that Chambers has been up front and honest about his past rather than sweeping it under the rug lest it show that athletics is awash with drugs and the lack of confidence it would bring from the public and the loss of the all important dollar.
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What other currently competing uk athlete who has failed a drugs test and is still being advised by the person who supplied the drugs?
Being honest after you are caught is not really my definition of honesty, but I do agree that its better than a number of athletes who deny it even after being caught
I still don't think he should associate with Conte though
One last question if 'athletics is awash with drugs' is the existing 2 year ban long enough?
Anyway here's a good interview with Dwain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRX17v6EEtQ&feature=PlayList&p=8984CFD61B6B091B&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=6
Look up the other parts on 'Dwain Chambers On'
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The answer is none. The answer including Chambers to the question, how many athletes are still getting advice from the coach who supplied them with drugs on athletics is also none. Chambers is speaking to him with regards to advice on catching drugs cheats.
The lad is trying to generate a positive from the negative to try and placate people such as yourself and Cram sneering at his every move. The fact he associated at any level with a tainted coach should not matter, it hasn't with any athlete coached by Christie, Ekkhart or Grobler. The difference is these three coachs actively coach people after their misdemeaners, Conte is merely advising on a non athletics matter.
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He was being advised on a non-athletics matter before! He is actually getting coaching advice now using that breathing technique apparatus.(you'd get the same effect holding your breath in my opinion!)
The IAAF does seem to appear to agree with you interpretation of the Conte association. That does not mean they are right, but as they are the ruling body he is unwise to continue his association with Conte, or should put up with the flack
I'm not sniping his every move. If he's still on this form for the world champs I think he should be included for the relay, as I have said earlier
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@177, regarding the IAAF's stance on Conte, I think it'll be interesting to find out how they initially reacted to the likes of Grobler and Ekkart when they decided to restart their coaching careers!
As for Dwain's association with Conte, the only thing that slightly concerns me is the fact that in interviews Dwain seems to play down the bit about the breathing technic but instead concentrates on the issue of collecting information which they hope will help combat cheating!
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Yes apologies on that, you are not being snide, got a tad carried away, although I don't think he should be in the relay. However I would say that talking to Conte about a breathing aparatus (which I agree with you), is hardly the same as daily contact week in week out for about 8 hours a day, as it is with the other coaches. Grobler mastminder the 2004 rowing gold in the 4s and was with them around the clock. He has a shady past but there were few if any disenters saying 'look at his past, this reflects badly on the rowing team'.
Another side that annoys me with duplicity is Christine Ohuruogu. She will forever have her success marked with an asterix *banned for missing drugs tests, when mentioned in the media. Interestingly Ex World Triathlon Champion Tim Don faces no such problem.
Seems to be some athletes get singled out for some reason, quite unfairly, while others carry on regardless.
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http://wilson88.wordpress.com/
i have posted my opinions on the matter - any comments welcome
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@181: A brilliantly written article! I doubt even Cram will argue with what you've written!
I have only one correction and it's about Christine O. It is my understanding that she did not miss three consecutive drugs test like your article claims. Rather, she missed three tests in an eighteen month period.
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Has Cram seen this report on the BBC?
..................................
The IAAF had launched its investigation to find out if Chambers' book had brought the sport into disrepute.
"There is no reason for us to take any action against the book or against Chambers," said IAAF general secretary Pierre Weiss.
"If other people feel they were attacked it's in their hands to do something," added Weiss.
....................................
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Interesting that in the Italy vs France rugby match yesterday....the Italians were booing and jeering the French. Maybe Steve Cram was just reading too much into the booing and jeering of Chambers in Turin?
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Three missed drug tests and she gets an MBE which stands for Most Bizarre Excuse.
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Isn't this meant to be 'Steve Cram's Blog'? Quiet, isn't he?!
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Steve is exercising is right of silence which is a blessing in disguise.
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Hi ShuBob, could you clear that up for me, please, did CO have other tests during that 18 month period as well, please?
From my understanding of what you saying, is she did have other tests during that 18 month period?
Also from my understanding, was that she was contacted and given the opportunity to get to place where she needed to have her test and made no attempt to get there?
I recall a reporter driving the route from her home to the place of testing and he had shown that she could easily have made it and chose not to go?
I have always understood that she missed 3 consecutive tests during the 18 month period, so to have this cleared up would be great.
then @ ukathleticscoach .. Kauto Star? now there is a clean sport, not a trace of any drug taking there, unlike athletics of course ;-) and this is not a spot the irony test
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KeepitReal
I agree with shubob. CO had quite a number of other tests during the 18nths. The three tests she missed were not consecutive.
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Cram where are you? LOL So funny that you refuse to confront your critics on here.
And you add to the list of sports personalities incapable of being able to comprehend/confront negative views surrounding yourself.
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Cram used to be a great athlete, of that there is no dispute, however, I am getting bored to the back teeth of his constant moaning about Chambers and his whining about "Booing" .. when in all honesty, if there was, it was particularly minor.
Would Mr Cram give a person who has been released from jail after punishment as much grief ? Would he exclaim the minority of negativity over the majority of positive balance of the whole Dwain Chambers affair ? ... Well, the second point is becoming obvious.
Mr Cram, you are an ex-athelete and a commentator. You are paid to comment on the racing and describe to the watching veiwers what is happening on the screen. I suggest the next time you have money in your pocket for speaking at an athletics meeting you do just that and tell people what you saw, rather than what you think - I.e. That Mr Chambers ran a fantastic race, his start was near perfect, his pick-up and drive phase awesome in its execution and his relaxation and form through the line was a wonder to behold. Do not progress to personal dislike and childish behaviour, unless that is how you wish to be remembered .. as with any sport or commentary, you are only as good as your last performance.
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"Sometimes we sit on or hands in Britain and say nothing. Opinion seems to be more polarised in Britain"
Ha! I bet you wish that was actually the case eh Crammy. You just took one hell of a beating!
Not to worry its how you comeback from it that counts, take a leaf out of Dwains book.....
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This is the best article to date I've read about the Chambers saga and it's in the Independent on Sunday:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/mar/29/dwain-chambers
The quote below from the article may explain a lot about Cram and co.'s reaction to Chambers' win in Turin:
..........................................................
Steve Cram suggests that the general mood of the athletics establishment, watching Chambers win in Turin, was summed up by one whispered comment in his ear at trackside: "Our sport is dead."
............................................................
What I want to know now is WHO exactly whispered in Cram's ear. Is Cram man enough to name this person?
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Apologies but I meant OBSERVER on Sunday not Independent on Sunday.
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This is now APRIL 7TH, fall on your sword crammy, do the decent thing.
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Well Ramzi will be back in time for the next Olympics. Doesn't that make that you all happy?
He probably has a book about it now as well!
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Interesting reaction to the news that Rashid Ramzi has been banned and that it is fishy that someone can win the 800 meters and 1500 meters in the modern day.
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