Has Athletics Got Any Chance To Clean Itself Up?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/33948924
I'm so sad for any clean athletes in among all the bent ones. The whole sport will now be seen as a chemistry contest. Very sad.

[Pete65]

It has been like this for many years.
Why are so many top athletes, cyclists, tennis players, on asthma medication?
Look at the unnatural build of rugby players.
Too many blind eyes being turned.
Sad? Definitely!

[agchristie]

The issue of drug abuse it seems is one 'World Record' that is continually being rewritten.

Aren't all medallists though automatically tested? If so, what would be the point of cheating?

[jourdain2]

It's very, very sad, but I'm convinced that 99.9% of British athletes are clean. I was involved in junior-level (up to U21) coaching for many years. Every single child who entered our club was given a card listing banned substances, which they duly showed to doctors and chemists. Random testing, e.g third place in the U17's 100mH, meant that quite often they were tested, my daughters amongst them. Never once did anyone have a test with anything at all suspect on it. 2 athletes out of the thousands in the North (of whom we all had suspicions) were eventually caught and banned - one on the verge of becoming a household name, but she was caught.

I don't think I'm being naive when I say that this was the norm. It is horrible to think of cheats spoiling a sport which I love and think has something to offer to everyone - running, jumping and throwing things are natural activies and even the non-sporty child can take part in sports day if there is a race-walk.

I'm very sad that the international authorities have not got control of this situation.

[Pete65]

The point of cheating is to beat your opponents.
We are told the testers and their equipment are years behind the sophisticated methods of cheating.
Lance Armstrong failed a test and gave the authorities a pile of money to "lose" the result.
How do we know the testers are honest? Will some take bribes?
Do you trust FIFA for instance?
I fear the cheats will always be ahead of the testers.

[dave50]

Why cant there be a separate world championship for athletes in which they are allowed to take any drugs they wish to enhance their performance? I think it would prove very interesting and entertaining.

[ToraToraTora]

yes dave, a reasonable suggestion but basically it's the same reason F1 has a squillion rules, to stop it getting out of hand. If they did what you suggest there'll be 20 year olds pumped up with roids/amphetemines/hyper oxygenated blood running the 100 in 9 secs and dropping dead shortly after! less extreme than this but look at flo jo.