Why Dwain Chambers should compete at Beijing Olympics

July 18, 2008 By 8 Comments


Dwain Chambers, Britain’s top sprinter will finally get a verdict today as to whether he is allowed to compete at the Beijing Olympics. Chambers was expected to learn if his life time ban would be temporarily suspended yesterday.

Why Dwain Chambers should compete at Beijing Olympics

Mr. Justice Mackay had postponed his judgment for 24-hours, yesterday he listened to conflicting arguments about a bylaw which could result in Chambers running at the Olympics.

The reason for the life-time ban was because Dwain Chambers used steroid THG in 2003, this is a performance-enhancing drug.

I know that there are mixed views on this, and I will just add my little piece on the subject.

We know that what Chambers did was wrong and I agree that he should serve a ban, but it should only be a short ban and I will tell you why.

Why should sports stars get a lifetime ban for taking drugs when other people in the entertainment industry are taking drugs all the time.

I do agree that it is totally wrong to take drugs, I don’t even smoke. However; I think it is wrong that people like Amy Winehouse, Pete Doherty, Robbie Williams or even Kate Moss have all been in the news for taking drugs and yet they are still allowed to go about their normal lives.

All of these stars are in the limelight, Moss has to be one of the worst of the bunch, she has taken drugs and yet she is still allowed to be the face for a top makeup brand. I think she should have lost that job, how can someone who takes drugs represent a company who sell their products to young impressionable girls.

There should not be one rule for one and one rule for others.

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  • rowdoc

    Couldn’t disagree with you more – the drugs Chambers took were to improve his chances of success, knowingly in contravention of the laws that govern his sport. He took a chance, he lost. If he was to stand on the Olympic stage representing this country, he would be a national disgrace, and the worst possible example to put to the young and naive in this country.

    You could argue that publically abusing drugs increases the chances of entertainers selling more records/pulling in more punters, and gain an advantage that way, but with a couple of weird exceptions it seldom increases musical or acting performance. It’s a completely different set of circumstances.

    I agree with you completely that the failure of the press and society at large to condemn celebrities and those with influence who indulge in drug abuse sets a depressing picture of what is normal to the young in this country. More importantly those who make money from those like Amy Winehouse – trapped in a self destructive spiral which I am confident will result in her death soon -continue to manage and exploit them, without providing them with the time or help that they need.

    Accessory to murder..? Discuss..

  • Peter

    I do agree with you, yes drugs is wrong and Dwain should not perform at the Olympics. however; it is not right that people in the public eye are stil lallowed to make money for something that is illegal.

  • Brassa

    Hmm interesting.

    Chambers didnt ‘take a chance’ – he cheated knowing the risks.

    Amy Winehouse, Pete Doherty, Robbie Williams arent in a drugs-free competition. If they plaguarised other musicians then they too would have ‘cheated’, and would face financial retribution due to copyright infringments.

    That said I think its possible that young people make mistakes – a life ban seems harsh – but drugs threaten to destoy international sport. Its a desperate problem – which called for desperate sanctions.

  • Melo

    Diego Maradona cheated during the World Cup in 1986.

    Maradona was suspended for 15 months in 1991 after a failed doping test for cocaine in Italy, and then again for ephedrine during the 1994 World Cup in USA.

  • garfield

    Carry on running Dwayne…….put the stupid Olympic committee to shame….they had their chance and fluncked it.

  • athleticsobsessive

    personally, I think that Dwain Chambers should be allowed to compete in the Beijing Olympics, but no other Athletics competitions after that. I believe that him taking Steroids was a very stupid mistake, and he can’t've been thinking straight. Other Athletes who have taken Steroids before have been allowed to compete in the Olympics, and I think this should be the case with Chambers. He is one of our only hopes in the 100m, and could help along with Marlon Devonish and Craig Pickering in the 60m. Overall he could be in to win 4 medals… : 100m, 60m, 200m and 4*100 m.
    What bad can happen if we allow him to help Great Britain in Beijing? Personally, I believe he has learnt his lesson, I mean c’mon people he played Rugby because he desperately wanted to continue in some sort of sport. (he was crap at rugby tbh.)
    LET HIM COMPETE.

  • greenandwhite

    That is a horrible argument. I actually fell dumber for having read this garbage.

    First, and most unfortunately, there are no rules that say you can’t be a model, rock star or actress if you take drugs. However, the rules on athletes that abuse performance enhancing drugs are clear and Dwain definitely knows them. No free pass.

    Second, taking drugs because you’re an idiot with too much money doesn’t make you a better actor/rock star/model and it isn’t cheating. Taking performance enhancing drugs gives athletes and artificial advantage. It’s extremely poor sportsmanship, especially given that they know full well they are cheating. Taking illicit drugs is illegal and I firmly believe celebrities should receive the same punishment the general public does when they break the law.

    Third, what kind of a message are you sending to kids when you allow cheaters to compete strictly because they are better than everyone else – you think if Dwain was an average sprinter that anyone would be making this arguement? Kids see that there are little to no consequences to breaking the rules so where is the deterant? Again, celebrities should receive stricter punishment when they’re caught as well but lets get tougher on them, no easier on athletes.

  • richard

    The only way Chambers is gonna beat Usain Bolt is on a high powered motorbike. A normal motorbike would not suffice due to the tons of dope he carries with him on the track!