I'm Sorry But This is So Wrong

Rugby League, in the shape of Castleford, should hang it's head in shame. The sight of Dwain Chambers in a rugby shirt playing in a professional sport sends out all the wrong signals as far as I'm concerned. Don't get me wrong, I believe that if somebody commits a crime and serves a prison sentence or other rehabilitation then they are entitled to live their lives to the best of their ability.

This isn't an issue of crime and punishment or of rehabilitation though, this is somebody who has done his hardest to bring professional sport to disrepute, he's been found guilty in one sport and is now trying to start anew in another. Exactly what message does this send out to young sportsmen, what chance do the hundreds and thousands of parents and coaches have, who give up their free time to coach our future champions, in explaining to their charges that drugs are wrong and that taking drugs won't achieve anything?

Of course you can point to the cheats who haven't prospered: Marion Jones, Linford Christie, Ben Johnson, Florence Joyner-Kersee, but what of those who did cheat and ruined others one chance of the big time, just ask Brendan Foster how much it helps to know he was beaten at Montreal by a drugs cheat.

I don't see why being found guilty of taking performance enhancing drugs shouldn't mean a life ban from all sports at all levels. As if it wasn't bad enough that this summers Olympics are taking place in the worst environment for human rights violations since Stalin died we now have the very real possibility that Great Britain and Northern Ireland will have amongst their ranks Dwain Chambers. The very fact that Chambers and his lawyer are taking this cause celebre as far as they can through the courts shows you everything you need to know about the effect that drugs can have on a persons brain, it's obviously not just cannabis that can cause feelings of paranoia and insecurity.