Friday, December 30, 2011

Count me out on this one Cav



David Millar is one of the most engaging, intelligent, witty and outspoken sportsmen of his generation. He tells it as he sees it and whilst we are in Clicheville he is certainly one of those who can talk the talk and walk the walk. He remains the only British cyclist ever to wear the yellow, green and polka dot jerseys in the Tour and he is the only British rider to win stages in the Tour, Giro and Vuelta but he is also still banned from the Olympics under the BOA lifetime ban rules for drug taking. Millar was found guilty of taking a performance enhancing substance in 2004 and whilst he paid the price professionally by serving the mandatory two year ban the BOA insist that life is life.

Mark Cavendish has publicly stated that he would like the BOA to reconsider Millar's ban in view of the fact that this being Olympic year and this being London Olympic year and this being London Olympic year with a chance of Great Britain cleaning up (no pun intended) in the cycling events. Well much as I agree with most of the things Cav says I have to disagree with him on this - life should mean life.

David Millar has certainly been a man reborn since his ban, he sits on anti-doping boards and speaks out publicly against drug taking but I still feel when looking at him, even in the sport where he has served his ban, that he shouldn't be taking part. It's not a rational line of thinking because I believe that punishment is as much about rehabilitation as it is about 'doing the time' but sport is different. I don't see how we can educate our children, with or without sporting aspirations, that drugs are wrong if the only punishment is a two year ban followed by a welcome with open arms into the biggest sporting event in the world.

3 comments:

Span Ows said...

I agree with you but am now confused as to whether Mr. Millar is called David or Robert...

Paul said...

Thanks for pointing that out, I was only saying to somebody yesterday that sometimes you can read and re-read something and not notice the obvious errors.

Span Ows said...

A problem I have and everyone else it seems! You can proof read all you like but it needs another set of eyes for the final edit!