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DHesketh

Listed below are comments made by DHesketh between Friday, 15th August 2008 and Thursday, 21st August 2008.

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Drug cheats getting comeuppance 4:10pm on 21 Aug 2008 I wonder whether those who have written all the self-righteous high-handed nonsense about Christine Ohorugu following the "there's no smoke without fire" argument have bothered to research the facts about her case.

Christine was the first athlete to fall foul of the 3 strikes rule. At the time of her ban there were approximately 20 other UK athletes on two missed tests. There are currently more than 1,000 missed tests worldwide.

It is also not a question of missing appointments. Every athlete is required to provide a schedule of their movements every single week detailin a minimum of five separate times and locations that will be available for random testing. In the vast majority of instances those times come and go without event. However a tester could turn up at any one, unannounced, and if the athlete is not there within an prescribed time limit (1 hour) then its classified as a missed test.

Changes to the athletes schedules have to be given 24 hours in advance. No exceptions.

There are many recorded instances of athletes getting delayed or stuck in traffic or, in Christine Ohorugu's case, changing their plans at the last minute. I would challenge anyone, any single person, to be able to say with absolute 100% cast iron unshakable certainty that they would never change their plans once during an entire year or more and would always remember.

Yes, we can pontificate about "if it were my job I'd make certain" but how many of us have made silly mistakes at work and got away with them. I know I have made many. It hasn't cost me my livelihood for the rest of my life.

Those who compare Dwain Chambers with Christine Ohorugu are missing a fundamental difference. Chambers set out knowingly to defraud the sport he operated in, the public and his fellow athletes. He was caught with his hand in the till. Christine Ohorugu was guilty of bad management and bad communication. There's a big, big difference between disorganisation and dishonesty.

During the period between missed tests 1 and 2 (8 months) she was tested many many times and was clean on every one. During the 12 months out of competition while serving her ban she was tested on no less than 14 occasions and was clean on every one.

The one year ban is proportionate to her mistake. She has served it. She since has been tested over and over and over again and been clean.

Lyudmila Blonska was a known drugs cheat and should never have been allowed to compete in these games. If Christine Ohorugu had been in the same boat I would be the first to say she should be banned.

But she wasn't. She was a naive girl who fell foul of a difficult and necessarily tough system and has served her punishment.

Let her be and give her the credit she deserves for her performance.
It's the winning, not the taking part that counts 2:05pm on 18 Aug 2008 I find it hard to accept that only crossing the line first matters.

Take Louis Smith for example. His individual Bronze on the pommel is a phenomenal feat and one that he can surely improve upon over the coming years.

The point was that it was the best he could achieve personally at this time in his career and will only serve to drive him on towards more success.

Statistically, in any sport, as one rises through the ranks, defeat (or not winning)will be as regular part of the diet as victory. But look at Rebecca Romero and her reaction to defeat 4 years ago. It spurred her on to making sure that, next time, Gold and only Gold would be hers.

Only one person or team can stand on the top of the podium and therefore by definition the vast majority of competitors will "lose" and they must find a way to accept it. Many will never reach the top of their sport.

Take poor old Ryan Lochte for example. There is a man who has swum fast enough to break world records many times. In another time he would be on top of the world. His problem is that spot is currently occupied by one M. Phelps and will be probably until Lochte has given his all and is well past his best and, despite his phenomenal talent, he will therefore be regarded as a bit of an "also-ran"

But should we consign these athletes to "also-rans" just because they never manage to perch on that very narrow mountain-top? Even to be there on the mountain in the first place they will have had practice, train and win, win, and win again throughout their careers and probably from a very young age.

Ultimately the question must be "Did I do the best I was capable of?". Of course that, by virtue of being an Olympic competitor, is already far in excess of what us mere mortals could hope to achieve.

And there have been GB personal bests galore for us to celebrate. Imagine how the rest of us would feel if we could say "I've just played/run/swum/ridden the best I have ever done in my entire life - bar none". How good must that feel? I know it would feel like a Gold medal to me.

And if the best they can possibly produce is not yet good enough to be better than the rest of the world then so be it.

I'm sure though that the ladies coxless four or Kelly Sotheton felt on Sunday that their performances were less than they were capable of and, what's worse, that their best performances would have got them the Gold.

And that must feel like the most devastating defeat of all.
Final humiliation in the park 4:59pm on 15 Aug 2008 I think maybe you need to watch more Superhero movies or read more comics Tom.

Had you done so you would have known that small elderly and wizened little Chinamen are invariably possessed of super-human reflexes and strength, together with a handy line in home-spun wisdom and philosophy.

Did he also own a run down little bonsai shop?
Final humiliation in the park 2:45pm on 15 Aug 2008 Tom,

You have my sympathy mate. Once lost a game of tennis to a five-foot tall 86 year old.
Time to reflect on archery exit 2:42pm on 15 Aug 2008 Alan,

When I was a kid I used to watch Errol Flynn fight Basil Rathbone in Robin Hood. Then there was Walt Disney and more recently Kevin Costner.

It was one of my boyhood dreams to be able to shoot a bow like that. It was just the coolest thing ever.

Therefore, regardless of whether you lost by a paltry 4 points or not, as far as I'm concerned mate, you're an absolute legend.

Good luck for 2012.
Getting used to being a lady of leisure 2:30pm on 15 Aug 2008 Well... I did it! Phew!

That was exhausting.

Just for a few fleeting seconds I had my comments up as the last ones made on all the "Who's saying what" links.

A clean sweep and I have the screen shot to prove it...

The crowd goes wild!!!

Right, back to work.
Getting used to being a lady of leisure 2:27pm on 15 Aug 2008 Hi, currently trying to win my own Gold Medal for the most number of blogs appearing on the BBC website simultaneously. Here I go...

Last one! Hope no-one knocks me off...

A lunge for the line and...
Getting used to being a lady of leisure 2:26pm on 15 Aug 2008 Hi, currently trying to win my own Gold Medal for the most number of blogs appearing on the BBC website simultaneously. Here I go...

Only 2 to go - wish me luck !!
Getting used to being a lady of leisure 2:26pm on 15 Aug 2008 Hi, currently trying to win my own Gold Medal for the most number of blogs appearing on the BBC website simultaneously. Here I go...

That's 3
Who is winning the Olympic crying game in Beijing? 2:25pm on 15 Aug 2008 Hi, currently trying to win my own Gold Medal for the most number of blogs appearing on the BBC website simultaneously. Here I go...

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