posted Mar 2, 2008

The things we say and do while emotionally charged are not always the best are they! What dwain said he may well of believed and maybe the reason he took drugs in the first place. I personally believe there is some truth in what he says! The only people who have really made this a problem in the first place is the athletics board. The bans should fit the crime, 2 years is not enough but once someone as done their time . Then they should be left to get on with their careers without the condemnation and judgement of unenlightened people who are so narrow minded they think things are only black and white. What is needed in this world whether it be athletics or anything else is a bit of compassion and understanding. No one and I mean no one is perfect! Compassion is the recognition that we are each doing the best we can within the limits of our current beliefs and capacities!

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Mar 3, 2008

I am completely against drugs in sport, but if the rules state that an athlete can compete again, then those are the rules. I'd like to know exactly what the issue is with Dwain, if it is the drugs, his high public profile or some of his comments he's made to the press. It seems strange that UK Athletics will quite happily pick Carl Myerscough, who also served his time for a ban. Am I being cynical or do we not have many world class shot putters, but a few handy sprinters?

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Mar 5, 2008

It's simply not right that Dwain is being denied the opportunity to make a living. He's served his ban and deserves a second chance, irrespective of any comments he has made in the media.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Mar 5, 2008

So many people here have completely missed the point with regards to Chambers. He is persona non grata, not because he took banned substances, but because having done so and having subsequently been caught, he stuck two fingers up at the athletics establishment. He made claims which essentially doubted the legitimacy of anyone who has won an Olympic medal and basically burned any and all of his bridges. Rather than publicly apologise for his actions and denounce the use of banned substances by athletes, he inferred that anyone who has won an Olympic medal has done so with the aid of illegal drugs. Other Olympic medal winners are quite rightly offended by this. Some of the people Chambers has tacitly accused of cheating are current members of the British squad and Chambers' inclusion within that squad isn't exactly conducive to a harmonious squad atmosphere, hence for the good of the British team Chambers should have no place in it. His phenomenal arrogance, and obstinate refusal to show any kind of remorse or humility is the exact reason why he has no friends within the sport, and why he is not a good role model or example for future generations of British athletes to follow. It appears that many commentators, professional and amateur alike, have overlooked this and continue to blindly assume that Chambers is still being punished for his past use of banned substances. He is not - his two year ban from competition was the punishment for that. His pariah status is a neccessary and justified punishment for his ridiculous and disgraceful behaviour since he was caught. Chambers himself has brought British athletics into disrepute and until he apologises publicly for his actions before and after he was caught, he should not be allowed anywhere near a British running vest.

-----------------------------------------------
masterSteeplechaser:

As far as I am aware living in a democracy gives us the right to free speech. Whether Dwain's comments after returning from his ban were appropriate is a matter of opinion. Certainly, they have not helped his public rehabilitation. However, being treated as a pariah is one thing, being denied an income is another. As far as I am concerned he can say what he likes as long as he stays clean. I think the promoters should also invite him to their meets, after all, assuming he is clean he is one of the very best athletes in the world in his chosen discipline. I think Dwain's candour after returning from his ban was refreshing. I prefer this to offering platitudes specifically designed to repair his image.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Mar 7, 2008

Let Dwain Run. What a champion. He has come back from all the adversity and detractors.
UK athletics should be sacked for making comments on individual athletes.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Mar 7, 2008

Get over it. You banned him but not for life. Now his ban is up and he wants to race but you're restricting him. You'll give yourself a bad name by doing this which is the last thing you want when its obvious who should have the bad name.

Set clear punishment rules in the future.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Mar 7, 2008

The guy took drugs, he didn't kill anyone. It say's a lot for the man that he is now gonna kick everyone's butt in the World Indoor Final tonight 'clean'. Go Dwayne!!

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Mar 15, 2008

I really don't understand why you europeans want to ban drugs form sport. What's wrong with altering your biochemistry to achieve the physical performance results you desire? I applaud all drug using athletes who seek to undermine the socialist, tax-dollar consuming bureaucracies such as WADA, IOC and the British Sport agencies.
I'd love to see an athlete splice his DNA with that of a horse and become a centaur.....I'd finally be interested; and think of all the other viewers.....ADVERTISING $$$ baby

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Mar 16, 2008

I have been a fan of Athletics for as long as I can remember and feel what the likes of seb coe, steve redgrave kelly holmes and the others who consider themselves without sin are doing is a modern day stoning, this is balatant persecution, Mr chambers has served his 2year ban, why was it not made clear to him at the beginning of his ban that there would absolutely be no way he can go back to his sport. I for one commend dwayne for putting his hands up and admitted his wrong doing, he could have easily deny deny deny, like some others, instead he came clean like a man and took his punishment,and lets face it he is still the best chance team GB has of any british athlete to stand a serious go of meddling as his World Silver Medal has proven and he has been running clean, so now what...

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Mar 17, 2008

Not quite. There is no way of proving if he is running clean. The long term benefits of using performing enhancing drugs are unknown, and as he has not been tested until very recently we don't when this might have stopped. Also after all the hype he only got a silver medal in an event that not many sprinters consider a big event (look at who turned out). He'll still get nowhere near a medal in a 100m and hence we'd be better served looking towards the future and someone who can hold the reputation of athletics in a better light. The best we can hope for is Chambers now disapppears into the athletics abyss and we move forward.

add comment | complain about this comment