Edwards supports Olympic doping reprieve

[LiamRiley]

Jonathan Edwards has always taken quite a hard line on drugs in sport, so it is unexpected that he should advocate a position that would usher the likes of Dwain Chambers and David Millar back into the Olympic fold. Edwards suggested that athletes should be able to return to the Olympic stage after a doping ban, but also stated that serious dopers should serve stiffer four-year bans, rather than the typical two-year bans.

British opinion seems to be broadly splitting between two major camps: those that support a life-time ban, and those that support strictly limited-time bans.

Edwards is right to point out the absurdities of the current system that lead to situations where someone like Millar can captain the national team at the world championships, but can't feature in any way at the Olympic event. Likewise, Chambers has played important roles within the British athletics team at European and World level, but provisionally remains an outcast in his home city Olympics.

A system with severe penalties, but routes to reprieve, is a clear improvement upon the current situation. It is also a system which would be more likely to garner public and athlete support. The continuation of the perverse outcomes currently on show serves neither fan or sportsman.

Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/17818958