Dwain Chambers - Harsh !!?

Question

I have my own opinion. what do you think?

Lets look at criminals, If a young guy makes the wrong decision in life and robs a house, he of course should be punished so he serves his jail time. He repents his sins and holds his hands up to the mistakes he has made. Should that guy not be allowed to ever work again??

Dwain ok can obviously get another job other than running but remember these athletes have been in the sport since they were young children, always working towards the possibility of getting an Olympic medal.

It must be so hard for him, if he obtained an injury I guess that he would have to learn to deal with it, but to be stopped for a stupid mistake he made has ruined all those childhood dreams, he must hate himself for doing it. But he is doing everything to make up for his mistake, he told kids "not to do what I have done look at me and the trouble I am in, I want to prove it can do it without drugs."

He would walk on broken glass for a 2nd chance, forgive him ?

Answer 1

Id rather england came 20th with grace than 1st with a disgrace (AKA dwain). He can run, just not for our country.

Cheaters never win and winners never cheat.

Answer 2

no

he took drugs

the benefits of those drugs are with him for life

therefore he has an unfair advantage over all athletes for life

what gets me is, linford christie wasnt caught - nobody gets as big as he was cleanly

Answer 3

What example would it give to young athletes out there?

Dwayne may be a very talented athlete but he still would have some of the effects of the drug still in his body e.g the muscles which could increase his performance slightly

it's sad really because Dwain could have been a great athlete without the use of drugs.

Answer 4

Put it this way

5 guys can get picked to represent your country

5 guys are clean and have never taken any drugs and have worked hard for their achievements.

1 guy comes back in after a ban for taking banned substances, even though he is banned, he tries and tries to get back into the squad...should he take a place of another team member who has never done anything wrong and has worked hard for the place he has got and go on to represent us in the Olympics.

Simple answer is no. A ban is a ban, it is not given lightly, yes im sure there are athletes who may have been "doped" with just general medicine you can buy over the counter, but you have to be responsible for your actions. He denied any involvement for ages, when he clearly knew he had taken banned substances. He took the chance to increase his speed, he took it, he should suffer the consequences. Simple

Answer 5

The drugs build Chambers body into what it is, therefore once a drug cheat always a drug cheat. If he wants to compete he should not execrise for two years, let all his muscles waste away and start again. He was only banned from competing not training and so he maintained the muscles he cheated to achieve.

Answer 6

Yeah - I'd let him run, provided he submitted to rigorous testing. I think his experience could actually serve as quite a good example for kids - especially if he succeeds drug-free.

When you compare his behaviour to that of various football louts, who have been variously accused and convicted of violent disorders, sexual offences, and so forth (mentioning no Jeoy Bartons) - you have to wonder why such radically different values are applied to different sports.

Chambers' offence was stupid, pathetic, and weak - but if he's definitely stopped, I see no reason why he shouldn't run. And let's face it - it's not hard to check...

Answer 7

There are two sides:

1. Dwain himself said that every man should be given a second chance in life. He learnt from his mistakes and would love to get another chance to run for his country.

2. The drugs he took caused a longer term effect which built his muscles up.

Personally, I think it was harsh, besides he is the fastest man in Britain.

Answer 8

If Chambers wears the England vest, somebody that isn't a cheat is denied that privilege.

To let him run would be unfair to other clean athletes who earned their place on merit.

Answer 9

it's another example of the Islamaphobia that us muslims are facing.

No doubt if he was a christian or jew he wouldn't have got banned.

Answer 10

He knew the punishment before he took the drugs so NOT HARSH

Answer 11

Difficult. Diff-ic-ult.

I like the idea of forgiving him hugely, but it's not just about forgiveness, this. It's about the opportunities he's denied other people he was racing against while cheating, and it's about setting a standard and adhering to it.

He knew the risks when he cheated.

It's difficult though.

I think I'll abstain.

Answer 12

yes its harsh.

Answer 13

its a difficult one. he was honest which is more than can be said for  many drug cheats. tho he did try to cheat. i believe in second chances though he knew the rule was in place, why should someone who is clean miss out on olympics when he has cheated in past and caused members of relay team to hand in their medals?

wouldnt it be great if everyone could take steroids tho! world records every week!!!

Answer 14

i do not think it is harsh that Dwayne hasn't been given another chance at the Olympics every athlete knows that competing under the influence of performance enhancing drugs is cheating and that if caught you will receive a ban and lifetime ban from the Olympic games..

great Britain are one of just two countries in the world to give their athletes a lifetime ban from the Olympics if caught under the influence of performance enhancing drugs.. Harsh? maybe but the rules in Britain clearly state this and the Dwayne chambers situation should of been cleared as soon as he received the ban then we wouldn't be talking about this issue

it attracts negative attention to the games we would like to believe that all athletes going into the games are 'clean' and we should be focusing on the athletes who are not giving Dwayne all the coverage in the press.