The Dwain Chambers debate

[Ross]

Most of you probably don't care, but should he be allowed to compete in the Olympics?

Discuss

[Harbs]

yes he should he commited a crime he's been punished, he is our best hope of a medal!

[Raph]

He has paid his debt and served his penalty. If he is not allowed to return to clear his name - then you don't serve a good example that people can battle through their problems and succeed without artificial help. After all . . . competitive sport is all about winning and in this sense, he has defeated his own problems.

Should definitely be allowed to compete and I wish him all the best.

[Hairy]

I think he should be allowed to compete because he has done his time and is allowed to run in all other events . Also if this was any other country apart from britain and norway it would not be an issue and he would be competing - we seem to shoot our self in the foot sometimes.

However he is a self confessed cheat and a 2 year ban is nothing, should have been at least 4 years, so i can understand why people are against it!
Then it would not have been an issue, 2 years is a lot easier to come back from than 4!

[c,mon the hoops]

Yeah why not? the guy has served his time, come out and spoke about how he done it to avoid doping sessions and he is the best hope for a medal!
Although the 2 yr ban was very soft!

[Slim Bratts]

Am I reading these correctly? He knew the rules just like everybody else and knew what would happen if he was caught cheating just like everybody else. He took drugs cost over British athletes their medals and was rightly banned.

It's not as if he was young and could learn from his mistakes, he was old enough to know better, it's a little difficult for someone whos been proven a drugs cheat to clear their name when they were found guilty of taking them.

Dont get me wrong I admire his balls for coming back and facing it all, but rules are rules.

So its a no from me.

[Raph]

That's fair enough . . . & agree with Duffy that the ban should've been a lot longer; possibly 6 years to prevent this situation. But . . . if he's served his time, then by the letter of law he should be allowed to compete.

[c,mon the hoops]

Am I reading these correctly? He knew the rules just like everybody else and knew what would happen if he was caught cheating just like everybody else. He took drugs cost over British athletes their medals and was rightly banned.

It's not as if he was young and could learn from his mistakes, he was old enough to know better, it's a little difficult for someone whos been proven a drugs cheat to clear their name when they were found guilty of taking them.

Dont get me wrong I admire his balls for coming back and facing it all, but rules are rules.

So its a no from me.

Its like anything else, if you go to jail serve your sentence your allowed to go back into society, whats the difference here?

[Slim Bratts]

Hoops - Before you go to jail (not you specifically) you go to trial etc and your sentence is then passed. The difference is like everyone else he knew what the sentence was before taking drugs which leads me on to my next point 'the letter of the law' states that he cant compete in the Olympics (which is what this debate is about) because he took drugs and was found guilty which he knew before committing the crime so therefore he is still actually serving his time.

I thinkk that makes sense :wow:

[c,mon the hoops]

Hoops - Before you go to jail (not you specifically) you go to trial etc and your sentence is then passed. The difference is like everyone else he knew what the sentence was before taking drugs which leads me on to my next point 'the letter of the law' states that he cant compete in the Olympics (which is what this debate is about) because he took drugs and was found guilty which he knew before committing the crime so therefore he is still actually serving his time.

I thinkk that makes sense :wow:

Do you think though that 'if found taking drugs then banned from the olympics for life' law is a bit tough? I think in most cases people who have been found guilty dont want to go back into the sport whereas dwaine has come back got fitter and is the no1 british sprinter at the moment! I dont think what he done was right, but i respect him for what hes done afterwards and i think he should be given a 2nd chance

[Slim Bratts]

Hoops - Difficult one, which is why its a good debate, like I said I admire him for having the balls to come back after being found out.

The problem is if they lower the law for him and let him back in, it does not set a good president for other athletes who may then think why not take the risk? As they then too would expect to be allowed back in to the Olympics after a few years.

[c,mon the hoops]

Hoops - Difficult one, which is why its a good debate, like I said I admire him for having the balls to come back after being found out.

The problem is if they lower the law for him and let him back in, it does not set a good president for other athletes who may then think why not take the risk? As they then too would expect to be allowed back in to the Olympics after a few years.

Totally agree mate! it is a difficult one, i feel sorry for the guys who have trained hard for at least 12 mths for the olympic trials and come 3rd and 4th (tyrone edgar, craig pickering) they might not get a look in apart from the relay!

Is the annoncement today?

[tom flynn]

As he is English i say let him run, if he was Scottish then i would say ban him!!!!

[Raph]

The fault lies with Sport England or whoever is the British Athletics Governing body. They've clearly passed the buck over to the IOC, by handing him a small ban and hoping that the IOC will have more financial clout to contest his claims in the court.

I agree with both Justin & Joe in that sense . . . it would be stupid if UEFA, for example, allowed Rio Ferdinand to play in the Champions League whilst FIFA prevented him from attending the World Cup.

[c,mon the hoops]

As he is English i say let him run, if he was Scottish then i would say ban him!!!!

:uk: ?

[Slim Bratts]

Spot on raph & Hoops, think the decision is made tomorrow.

[RealTharhegoeza]

I my younger days, 20+ years ago my wife was an athletics coach for both male and female athletes locally, and actually coached an Irish athelete up to British Commonwealth games standard.I like any doting husband drove minibuses & cars ALL over Gt Britain so that her athletes could be the best they could be.Her opinion on this ban is like Justins, the Drug cheats - no compete, ruling has been in place for many many years, probably before Dwaine Chambers was born. I remember at a meeting at Bedford, my wife was chatting to Paula Radcliffes coach and him saying that at 15 she had just been offered "free of charge" all the drugs she needed to her stay away from injury, tiredness and aid recovery. At an indoor international meeting her irish athlete gad just finished 2nd to Liz McColgan over 3,000 metres and whilst she was recoving was asked "How would you like to get nearer the Liz next time".These drug peddlers are the blight of most sports, Cycling, triathalon, athletics, baseball (is it a sport), American football, soccer and even snooker (remember beta blockers)But as adamant as my wife is that he must never be allowed to run, If british athletics is that clean why is it we are the only country to have this by-law.I heard on the box yesterday 37 other countries wanted to implement this law mostly Commonwealth countries, but it shouldn't be downto the countries the Olympic Committee should implement it, Strange how quiet the Yanks are isn't it.In their Olympic squad this time there is a possiblity that at least 12 athletes who have been found guilty of doping and served their time. But they will be there in China. So let Dwiane go I am willing to bet he will be the cleanest athlete there because he is older and wiser. It will be interesting to see how many Chinese athletes are caught or even tested. How can the home country run its own testing procedures. The Olympic Committee has no teeth, it falls into the how much and when corner, Coca Cola have already poured billions into the game and the next one as well, here in London. Which Organisation supposedly the athletes organisation would ask their athletes to run long distances in atmospheric conditions that can KILL.

[Raph]

Nice to get an educated and informed opinion Real. Well articulated.

[RealTharhegoeza]

Sorry Dwaine - no go to BejiingYou may upset the others - who of course have NO chance of winning a medal