[Closed] Ex drug cheats going to the olympics.

[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/17853070 ]http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/17853070[/url]

"Ex" drug cheats?

No "ex" about it.

I gave up smoking 10 years ago.
Am I...
a) a non smoker?
b) an ex smoker?
c) a smoker?
I'm genuinely interested.

They have the Olympics and para Olympics, they should also hold a drug cheats Olympics, just imagine the analysis of the athletes performance 😆

seems unfair that they have to compete against current drug cheats

@don simon.

You were involved in a legal activity that didn't enhance your performance to the detriment of non-smokers. Neither did it potentially prevent non-smokers from getting ahead in their career.

I'm an ex-smoker too. 7 years now and feeling the benefits. How about you? 🙂

if he's an ex drug cheat, that's a guarentee he's clean.

Fair play to him, he's served his sentance,now let him get on with it.

That go's for millar too

Bring on Dave Miller.......

served their ban, letting them try to show they can do it "clean" is the right verdict IMO

@ Coyote
I consider myself a non smoker.
I used to smoke, I don't now.
Much the same as Millar (other reformed cheats are available), he used to cheat, he got caught and now, to the best of my knowledge, doesn't cheat. He is therefore clean and should be allowed to compete.

I feel privileged in the fact I know that I'll never smoke again which is more than someone who's never smoked can say (there must be an element of curiosity on their part).

Good luck to them indeed. Sentence served and they should be free to compete in all events.

I have no issue with the ruling, seems logical.

If they're available for selection now, they should be in or out based on form not history.

I don't imagine Chambers will be troubling the podium. I don't know enough about the road cycling - will Millar be going for the win himself or working for Cavendish?

@don simon

Good point well made.

Shall we agree to differ?

Shall we agree to differ?

How much punishment do you doll out. Good luck to them.

I don't imagine Chambers will be troubling the podium. I don't know enough about the road cycling - will Millar be going for the win himself or wrking for Cavendish?

Was the road captain in the world champs when no radios were allowed so is key to Cav. I believe the olympics will have no radios too.

LOL! Only the fools get caught. The best one never and he should fire all his supporting staff for letting him caught.

It's not a matter of who is cheating but actually who can cheat better.

Surely it depends who it is .. and this has been debated loads on STW before. Millar was a cheat who admitted it the minute he was caught, apologised and has done a lot working with drugs bodies and educating people about drugs in sport, he's been very honest when asked "if you hadn't have been caught would you still be doing drugs?" ... he replied "I'd like to say no but probably the honest answer I guess is yes" (my words paraphrased). Unlike Dwain Chambers a drugs cheat who claimed he was innocent ...... then eventually disappears quietly into a corner to serve his ban, along with people like Marion Jones.

someone has mentioned about people serving their ban and accepting they are claim ... ahem ..Ricardo Ricco?? Okay that is an extreme tragic tragic story but look at the pressure on these pro's, if you've read Millar's book it all becomes clear. I used to have a firm view on drugs cheats, get out of the sport never to return, I used to detest Millar and every time I saw him on my TV I would shout at him, read his book and it has educated me (along with other reading) and I feel quite differently about it all now. Chambers still shouldn't be allowed to race and ti's clear Millar only wants to race to support Cav there is no way he wants to race to win himself.

however no 2nd chances, caught again boom dont' pass go, do not compete in any sport ever again.

I'd support a life ban for the Olympics if it was applied worldwide. As usual GB adopted something that disadvantages us against the rest of the world. On that basis, it should be scrapped and GB should push the IOC to apply it to the entire Games themselves.

The head of the anti-doping agency reckons 10% of current athletes are cheating so why bother maintaining a ban on the 'reformed' athletes.

I gave up smoking 10 years ago.
Am I...
a) a non smoker?
b) an ex smoker?
c) a smoker?
I'm genuinely interested.

A smoker who is currently not smoking. I gave up over 20yrs ago and thats what I consider myself.

Millar will be a huge asset to the road team. Brailsford has already said he would select the best team regardless of history so I think he might be in.

He knows his stuff as he's been in the game a while. He's also a very talented rider so will be an asset. Not sure how Millar will prioritise it compared to the Tour though, surely lower?

I have respect for Millar as he admitted mistakes and is clearly a reformed character, not so sure about Chambers.

shame, cheats do prosper it seems

Did they know the rules when they decided to cheat? I assume so, so they cheated, got caught and now at least ought to have the balls to accept the penalty

Millar is my favourite cyclist, bright guy.

Read his book then judge him.

Cav's chances will be a lot stronger with Millar to marshall the team and sit on the front to chase down

I think 2 years is too short, should be 3 or 4 and the rules should be much less ambiguous but that's a discussion about the UCI which is a completely different thread

I prefer them to repay back the money won if caught then ban them for several years.

DaveT yes but I think the point is the BOA rules are different from other country governing bodies and that's the point!

Read his book then judge him

i think he's already been judged,result-Ban, but that seems to count for nothing

i think he's already been judged,result-Ban, but that seems to count for nothing

They will never get rid of drugs involvement in sport because of the stupid money and all the sponsors.

Ban counts for nothing?

Erm...he got a ban...served it...that was nothing?

result-Ban, but that seems to count for nothing

Well it was actually a two year ban that has now ended...

They served their bans, now let them in.

David Millars book is brilliant, hes a really intelligent bloke who is now helping authorities tackle the drug issues.

Genuinely surprised by the support for 'them'. Understand the differing stance of the BOA but everybody else should be adopting same not the other way round. Bloomin human rights being used again beyond its best and fundamental purposes. They cheated, prospered at the time, stole the chances of others who might have been at their peak and better without cheating and now get to try again. Drugs are not a slight bending of the rules. If Cav gets help off Millar his gold would be forever tainted. Same for any other team events with a drugs cheat. Great that past cheats might be working promoting anti drug stances but that's only trying to repair some of the damage they've done, it in no way earns them the right to be forgiven. Too liberal by half....

If Cav gets help off Millar his gold would be forever tainted.

Genuinely surprised by the support for 'them'...
... in no way earns them the right to be forgiven.

don simon (ex smoker) - yes but I've never been unique in my thought processes. Yet anyway 😉

higgo - legally yes but there'll be plenty of the public, and many professional athletes, who'll wonder whether seeing convicted drugs cheats on the Olympic is a good thing for the sport. Forgiven by the public for tainting sport? Forgiven by the athletes they cheated?

A bad ruling generally for sport imho only of course!

yes but I've never been unique in my thought processes.

If Cav gets help off Millar his gold would be forever tainted.

🙂 S'what makes the world go round eh? Question tho - if Chambers had a chance of winning would you be shouting for him with pride?

Heard on the Fighting Talk the other week that something like 50+ of the British team have been 'drafted' in for these olympics. Don't know how true that is or if it is a common occurrence but it made me think (again not that common an occurence!).

grahamh - didn't know he'd been found guilty of drug taking BUT get your point and hence sort of yes! Not gonna be an issue tho is it? Might be a tainted quarter final loss I suppose 😉 Should be a zero tolerance policy ex clear medical issues.

I genuinely can't decide. I perceive sportsman to live a priveleged life and to be role models for upcoming athletes. For them to throw it all away and cheat for personal/team gain is awful.

But then they've served their ban...

However a "you won't get a second chance" would i would hope be a greater deterrent.

They are only ex cheats because they got caught.they would still be taking them if they thought they could get away with it.