How can you tell a drugs cheat at the Olympics?

[Dai the Swansea Eagle]

They're wearing the USA strip.

According to stories over 20 athletes have been tested positive for drugs in the USA this year yet the USA doping authority refuses to name them. It's a mockery. They even tried to reflect the flung mud at the Brits claimming we don't announce the results of drug tests. Step forward Mr L Christie, one of our greatest ever sprinters but not spared the accusations and ban. Until then USA start to admit their problem and remove their self rightous veneer that only they are allowed to cheat because they're Americans, ALL USA gold medal winners have to be tarred with the same brush.

It's ruined the Olympic athletics for me.

[jlmatthews]

I am american and i take offence to your thoughts...yes some americans have been taken down because of drugs....but ya know what???....i am nowhere near an olympic athlete and i have been tested for sport and have tested positive...you know what from???...cough syrup...so why should we tell who if we are just making a mockery of that person for something that is in an over-the-counter drug??...seems quite thick doesnt it???....so maybe you should think about things before making suck a foolish remak about things you dont know about!

[Skid Row]

Quoted by jlmatthews on Sept 28 04:02
I am american
Sorry to hear that.

[MICHAEL DELLA CAMERA]

I am a brit,born a raised in streatham but i now live in the usa,ive got to say that these yanks are dead against drugs in sport,the syystem here is so anti drugs i find it hard to believe what your saying,think it over again swansea eagle!

------------------

[walderslade eagle]

If you want an indication of whether a woman athlete has been taking steroids, take a looka the jaw line, the steroids elongate it, if you want supiscions confirmed take a look when the athlete was younger and the as they are today, a certain british hurdler seems to have changed her appearance quite a lot since she was a young gal.

[jlmatthews]

skid row......i hope that you reply to this...i really want to know what the Brittish obsession of dissing america is all a bout....lemme know you cum guzzling queen

[PeterH]

It may have something to do with Hollywood
rewritting history to the detriment of the English. The fact that a large number of white Americans claim to have Irish and Scottish ancestory and never English. A perception that any of the ills committed
during early colonisation (treatment of the natives, slaves etc.), were done by English
not Americans whilst celebrating the Pilgrim Fathers as American. Need I go further.

Saying all of that I have visited the States on several occassions and found it to be a lovely country with great people. Everyone has got to diss someone and it seems that the US are the Man Utd of geography.

[Fat Andy]

Jlmatthews, if any athlete takes 'over the counter drugs' for any reason and they don't check with their doctor before hand then they are obviously thick and don't deserve any sympathy when they are banned.

Carl Lewis - as clean as they come - yeh right

[Skid Row]

Originally quoted by jlmatthews on Sep 28 2000 at 15:10
skid row......i hope that you reply to this...i really want to know what the Brittish obsession of dissing america is all a bout....lemme know you cum guzzling queen
I have no idea why the British diss America coz I'm Australian so technically I am unable to answer your question.

[BJ]

Maybe us Brits diss the yanks because they keep coming first and we can't handle it. I agree with Peter H, I've been to the States many times (again in Dec) and find them very friendly. They are sports mad, and very anti drugs. The whole doping system is very dodgy, look at that Romanian gymnast.

[jlmatthews]

fat andy.....although you think this is only something that happenins in the states...are you forgetting the womens gymnast that got her medal revoked for cold medicine (not american, but i forget what country)....maybe you are the one that is thick and you should get off your anti-USA kick and look at the whole picture...anf get over it!!!

[PalaceFan in Alabama]

Michael Della Camera & jlmatthews, you both have your head in the sand, take a serious look at sports in this Country (USA) and then say that there is no drug problems?
How many Football players have been banned in the last year, and what about Basketball players? This is not restricted to the Pros, College sports has its fair share of drug problems. These are the ones that have made it into the newspapers, what about those that have been swept under the carpet?

[interested in sydney.]

A little while ago an Americain (ex army colonel) who I Beleive was employed by the US DEA was out here going on long and loud about drug cheats. This guy was fair and correrct YET he received no support from the IOC , nor I beleive the US Olympic Association. Why should'nt the Americains with its second is a looser mentality be guilty as the rest,and eveerybody is at it.No its circle the wagons here come the indians. The motto here is I support 2 teams Australia and who ever is playing America.

[henryhallandhisbasque]

Aren't most of the athletes/weightlifters/swimmers/gymnasts on drugs? I thought it was the nature of the game now, I don't think you can just focus on the USA's competitors. It just depends on whether you have a good enough chemist/doctor, who takes you off them in good time not to be detected.
If they're all taking something or other,I don't really see what the problem is

[Gizmo]

Originally posted by jlmatthews:
I am american and i take offence to your thoughts...yes some americans have been taken down because of drugs....but ya know what???....i am nowhere near an olympic athlete and i have been tested for sport and have tested positive...you know what from???...cough syrup...so why should we tell who if we are just making a mockery of that person for something that is in an over-the-counter drug??...seems quite thick doesnt it???....so maybe you should think about things before making suck a foolish remak about things you dont know about!

Surely if you are an athlete you or your trainer should know exactly what medicines and or drugs contain before you proceed to ingest them. Not to do so is in my opinion foolish.As another example when putting petrol in your car you check whether you need unleaded, diesel, or LRP ignorance is no defence

[Dai the Swansea Eagle]

Originally posted by jlmatthews:
I am american and i take offence to your thoughts...yes some americans have been taken down because of drugs....but ya know what???....i am nowhere near an olympic athlete and i have been tested for sport and have tested positive...you know what from???...cough syrup...so why should we tell who if we are just making a mockery of that person for something that is in an over-the-counter drug??...seems quite thick doesnt it???....so maybe you should think about things before making suck a foolish remak about things you dont know about!

Put your head in the sand and it might all go away.

However today's papers make mention of the fact that USA may be banned from competing for a period because of the USA Track and Field failure to admit their problem nor notify the IAAF of the failures.

I'm sorry for you if you see this as "USA bashing" issue, and at the end of the day belittling the issue by dismissing it as a foolish remark is a little narrow viewed IMO. Whilst I accept that there will be the cough medicine etc incidents there may be an explanation why athletes such as Christie and Hunter have so much Nandrolone in their samples. They take supplments which aren't correctly labelled, giving the athlete the false impression that the supplement is clean of illegal substances. Hence the vigorous denial of cheating and the opportunity for Johnny Cochrane to earn more wedge. But is ignorance a defence? No IMO.

[jlmatthews]

you all have your good points...well taken...but everyone can be dirty at one point or another...but i now find that all well...you can keep on whining....we will keep on winning...good luck in the future

[philaire]

Originally posted by jlmatthews:
we will keep on winning...refer www.silly2000.com (http://www.silly2000.com) for perspective on the US medal tally

[Al From Bromley]

I was thinking only today for a "lickle" country we did quite well. The States got less han 4 times as many medals despite the vast difference in size of our respective back gardens.

[Gizmo]

Quote from one of Sundays "One New York hack complained that his countrymen are not greatly loved in these parts(Sydney)"Being hated is our burden. It is also our pride", "It tells us that we are still the nation all the rest of them would like to be" and as stated in paper such arrogant drivel received the derision it deserved, it said "Lovely people,the Americans.But a fair few of them should not be trusted with a passport.

[anti-addick]

Originally posted by Al from Bromley:
I was thinking only today for a "lickle" country we did quite well. The States got less han 4 times as many medals despite the vast difference in size of our respective back gardens.



Plus the fact that they've managed to wangle sports like Basketball, Baseball and Softball into the games for easy Golds - what a laugh. NFL football will be in there next!!

In the 70's they lost the basketball final to Russia and bubbled and didn't collect their silvers. Bad losers if you ask me.

[AnotherPete]

I think it's easy to dish the dirt on who is taking drugs, and usually the answer has to be "most countries". I see no reason for the UK or the US to claim to be better than the other . BUT

Isn't there a good case that the unprecedented fact that there were NO (ZERO) world records in indiviual track and field an indication that these Olympics MIGHT have been a little cleaner than those in the past ?

The altitude for the last 4 Olympics at least has been roughly the same . .

It's sad logic I know - the times were crap so they might have been clean . .

Alternatively, maybe the chemists aren't as good as they used to be. With the decline of East Germany the "drug race" isn't so well funded . . .

So let's be controversial. Most drugs - certainly all the steroid based ones - aren't about improving your performance on the day, they are about increasing your capacity to train harder. Given that it so bloody difficult to make the sport clean, why not just say . . Ok, if you train harder with assitance, you train harder. Declare your chemist and you can both share the gold - put him on the podium too if you want. People will then know who runs clean and who does not ?! The only offence is to take drugs and NOT declare . .

[wedgetail]

Originally posted by MICHAEL DELLA CAMERA:
I am a brit,born a raised in streatham but i now live in the usa,ive got to say that these yanks are dead against drugs in sport,the syystem here is so anti drugs i find it hard to believe what your saying,think it over again swansea eagle!



Pardon? The USA is anti drugs?, is this the same USA that is the biggest consumer of drugs per head in the world?

US athletes have been caught but protected by the US authorities.

[Kevin T]

I personally don't like America, the American culture or the American people.

However, I think it's wrong to blame them for the drug probem - I think it's pretty universal these days. I have no probem about them winning things. I have a problem with the arrogance this seems to create, although having said that I reckon the Brits would be the most arrogant nation on the planet if we were more successful on the football field for instance (the only sport this country as a whole really cares aout).

What really winds me up, and this is moving off-topic I know, is the way American culture seems to be stifling our own, and more to the point, the language.

Someone asked me if I was wearing a tuxedo to our summer ball the other week. That made me angry! (No, it didn't get me pissed, beer does that)

I work for a global firm which is fast being swamped by Americanism and as a result I am now looking for another job.

People moan about the Euro and maintaining our sovereignty, but I think they need to look across the Atlantic to see where our culture is disappearing.

[AJ]

I remember the US Olympic trial in 1988. The USOC issued a statement saying that 70% of the athletes that took part were suffering from "colds" etc.....

Says it all....

I am sure the same is true in most other countries in the world.

[jlmatthews]

Kevin T

hats off to you for being the only reasonable, educated, and respectible person for saying something with real meaning to it and not just deciding to bash, but instead tell how it really is!!!

[jlmatthews]

Kevin T

hats off to you for being the only reasonable, educated, and respectible person for saying something with real meaning to it and not just deciding to bash, but instead tell how it really is!!!

[Kevin T]

Not the response I was expecting.....but cheers.... I think.

[selhurstparkflyer]

I agree with you Kev,

But think this is a deeper problem than just Americanisation.
British, especially English people seem to have a big insecurity about who they are (unless you are skin headed England footy 'fan').

Look at the Dome, the governmnet was unwilling to celebrate either Britishness or Christianity.
Look at the Euro and EU, we are constantly told we are not big enough to survive.
Look at the proliferation of 'Irish' bars (that are all pre fabricated in a factory in Bristol) because they are the only places people to know how to have a good time.
Look at the number of people who claim to be Irish, Scottish etc because they had a granny who lived there.
Look at the number of US style hamburger joints selling crap food.

I could go on all day, but until our government (and institutions) stop being so politically correct (the Tories were as bad) we will never be able to celebrate our culture and success in a way other countries do and Americanisation will continue apace.

[Men At Work]

Originally posted by Kevin T:
What really winds me up, and this is moving off-topic I know, is the way American culture seems to be stifling our own, and more to the point, the language.

Hey buddy, watcha mean? Do me a favor and butt out, doofus. Oh yeah, and have a nice day.

http://www.cpfc.org/ubb/smile.gif

[billy_gilberts_hammer]

It seems to be an offence to be English today. We should be proud of our country and what our country has achieved in the past and what it will achieve in the future. The 23rd April should be a national holiday. I have recently lived and worked in Ireland and Scotland where we are the most hated country in the world....history may have something to do with it. Whilst in Ireland I watched all of England's matches in the pub, and it was a little disconcerting that the whole pub supported Germany or whoever England's opponents were. I had no physical intimidation but the overwhelming hatred of England was enough. The funny thing was that at the weekends these same people supported the Munichs or Liverpool and would cheer every goal scored by Scoles, Owen or whoever. Strangle people these Celts.

[Gizmo]

Just to carry on from Billy. What l don`t understand is this, if the Scottish in particular hate us and this country why are so many of them here taking jobs away from the English. Almost everytime l switch on the t.v. there is yet another Scottish presenter etc, l thought they wanted to be classed as a separate country with their own parliament what happened.

[Al From Bromley]

it IS a history thing. The English went around giving it large and kicking people's arse* throughout history and those arses that were kicked in the past don't like it very much. The only reputation the English have abroad is for being boozers and fighters and having a royal family. Sad but true. That's why i always say I am Scottish! http://www.cpfc.org/ubb/smile.gif

[selhurstparkflyer]

personally i think we should introduce a holiday for Trafalgar Day whereby we have a parade with burning effigies of Napolean, de Gaulle, Delors and variuos other offensive foreigners.
We will all be forced to drink real ale, eat pork pies and steak and kidney pie and engage in morris dancing.
if the temperature is anything over 60 degrees (farenheit not euro centigrade) then we must adorn string vests/bare chests, roll our trousers up to our knees (or waer Union Jack shorts) and sit in traffic jams 10 miles long on the way to the coast.

[Al From Bromley]

.....don't forget the "Kiss me Quick" hat!

[Al From Bromley]

.....don't forget the "Kiss me Quick" hat!

[billy_gilberts_hammer]

Possibly going off topic...but with Scotland, Wales and Ulster with their own parliaments/assemblies the time must be near that dear old England gets its own parliament. Tax raising powers given to each country and hopefully the ending of the Union. This should make the majority of people in each of the four countries happier.Each government could only spend what its population contribute in taxes,those that do not have enough can go to the EU, as Eire did very successfully in the 1980's and 1990's.

[Skid Row]

Originally posted a while ago by Michael Della Cameraive got to say that these yanks are dead against drugs in sport,the syystem here is so anti drugs i find it hard to believe what your saying,think it over again swansea eagle!
That's the biggest load of crap of I've ever heard. That MacGuire, the baseball home run guy, he takes performance enhancing drugs, every knows about it and nobody cares, it's shined upon for ****s sake. Anti drugs my ass.

[Spanish Dan]

Exactly right selhurstparkflyer it's almost like you should feel ashamed to be English sometimes. How many people would know that St Georges day is April 23rd, and how many people do anything to celebrate it? What gets up my nose most is pubs like Wetherspoons that make a big deal out of celebrating American Independance Day. Why? What have we got to celebrate? St Patricks day is another one that gets on my nerves but at least there are quite a few genuinely Irish people over here.

[Kevin T]

A few weeks back, Ruediger said he enjoyed the Last Night Of The Proms on TV, and everyone jumped on him saying it was racist event cuz there wasn't many black faces in the crowd. I think that sums up the PC thing gone too far mentioned elsewhere in this thread.

[selhurstparkflyer]

yeah i agree,
Laurance Taylor of NY giants, my fave teamw as busted about 3 times for cocaine use and used to get ridiculous miniscule fines.

Off the topic slightly, but did you see that heavyweight boxer, Michael Bennet from the US, who had served 7 years for Armed Robbery and was then representing his country...nice