Various 2012 Olympic news

[mump boy]

I think drug cheats should be prosecuted for fraud and locked up

[Geoff]

I think drug cheats should be prosecuted for fraud and locked up

Possession of PEDs in some countries is illegal but our government have so far rejected doing the same here. It was hoped it would be introduced before the Olympics. Athletes do have to relinquish prize money and/or pay it back. I have a great deal of sympathy for those who lose out on medals, selection and making finals etc.

[d pickup]

'Coe doesn't want London as 'siege city' for games'

see
www.sgvtribune.com/sports/ci_20530831/c ... city-games

§§§

'WADA boss slams Britain over Olympic doping bans'

See
www.contracostatimes.com/sports/ci_2052 ... oping-bans

§§§

'Drugs cheats must not win! Radcliffe demands action after Chambers reprieve'

I agree. Paula has always spoken out against cheats.

Meanwhile, the rules being as they are at present, she will, I trust, wish fellow GBR team members who have a drug record the very best with their Ldn OLY endeavours, but will also tell them that she will call loudly for the rules to be changed, made more severe.

see
www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/olympics/arti ... rieve.html

[Charlie Boy]

I think drug cheats should be prosecuted for fraud and locked up

I have always felt that drug cheats are taking the money on false pretenses and therefore committing fraud. Then again when Dwain got caught he put his hands up, he did not make up some lame excuse or play the blame game. Would he off done so if he knew he would go to prison.

[boysen]

A little bird told me the press seats are not covered by the roof. Will they go on strike,ask for gamps, desert to the bar,take VIP seats or what?

[mump boy]

practically none of the seats are covered !! only the 2nd tier and the back of the bottom one. they better pray for sunshine or we're going tp have one damp squid of a games

Also the sound system is useless and the 'bog' screens are tiny

apart from that the stadium is gorge

[boysen]

iN 48 i WAS EITHER BAKED BROWN OR SOAKED THRU'...LETS HOPE FOR BETTER THIS TIME. wONDER WHAT HAPPENS IF THE vip'S GET WET? CANCEL OR POSTPONE..ESP THE 100 FINAL.

[SteveK26]

I start this post from the viewpoint that Dwain Chambers has more than served his punishment under IAAF rules.
He has had medals and records taken away, missed two Olympics, been shunned more than anyone on the European circuit.....all despite the fact that he is one of the very few who ever held their hands up.Compare his demeanor to Marion Jones for example.
Now NINE years on from his ban people still debate about who is being deprived of a place on the team if he is selected.
Assuming he is now clean....and I certainly believe he is.....why should he not compete at the Olympics? If the current crop of British spinters haven't moved on from his levels after nine years, I suggest they have only themselves to blame for being ousted.
If he qualifies through the trials I would look forward to see if he can make the semi's in London (at least). I wish him well.
And before certain individuals on this forum call foul, I would add that I ABHOR THE USE OF DRUGS IN ALL SPORTS.

[d pickup]

'Fake bomb smuggled into Olympic Park'

see
www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news ... um=twitter

[Geoff]

As part of the pre Olympic drug tests UKA have had an athlete suspended.No names are stated.

UK Anti-Doping has today confirmed that a UK athlete has been provisionally suspended following an anti-doping rule violation. The suspension follows a test conducted as part of the organisation’s pre-Games testing programme in the countdown to the summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games.
UK Anti-Doping Director of Legal Graham Arthur said: “We are progressing a case relating to a possible anti-doping rule violation. The matter is subject to confidentiality restrictions imposed by the Anti-Doping Rules, and as such we are unable to comment further.

“All violations of the World Anti-Doping Code are published on our website if confirmed, when sanctions have been agreed and all appeal windows are over.”

http://www.ukad.org.uk/news/article/ath ... -violation

Is the term 'athlete' being used in a generic sense? There was a headline last week about an 'athlete' testing positive but it turned out to be a bobsleigher (of course he/she could also be an athlete). Are these connected?

[Geoff]

Geoff.

You are correct ;sorry.got message from someone and then had quick look and stupidly fell into the trap of "athlete".

You may be right as it is unlikely to be the bobsleigher as it is a pre-Games test. Won't be the wrestler as he's been named. So let's wait and see but hope UKAD don't keep using the generic term of athlete.

[Guto Nyth Bran]

Leon Baptiste just confirmed on Twitter that a knee injury has definitely put him out for the year. That's really terrible for him.

[d pickup]

'900,000 Olympic tickets to go on sale this Friday'

see
www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/90 ... 22471.html

[d pickup]

'Should the IOC ban Saudi Arabia form the 2012 games?'

This might be an 11th-hour cliff hanger, or produce a few protests.

see
www.channel4.com/news/should-the-ioc-ba ... 2012-games

[d pickup]

'Eiffel or eyesore? London’s Orbit tower completed to jeers and cheers'

see
www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1176 ... and-cheers

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'Games spectators told by IOC official to leave three hours early to arrive on time for events'

Transport could be a big, big headache, so be warned.

see
www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9259 ... vents.html

[Flumpy]

'Eiffel or eyesore? London’s Orbit tower completed to jeers and cheers'

see
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/artic ... and-cheers

The structure itself is beyond ugly but then it's got this awful tagged on restaurant that looks like a complete afterthought and doesn't match the rest of the carbuncle.

It's not like me to complain of this sort of thing but walking past it we could only gasp at it's complete hideousness.

[trevorp]

'Eiffel or eyesore? London’s Orbit tower completed to jeers and cheers'
see
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/artic ... and-cheers

Engineer Cecil Balmond's response to criticism: “St. Paul’s (Cathedral) was hated when it was begun.”
Where does one begin?

[Mr Halibut]

Christian Olsson retires due to injury
http://www.thelocal.se/40816/20120514/

[sidelined]

“@AthleticsWeekly: What are your views? Unfair or simply a natural development in athletics? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ntage.html ”

Did anyone see this tweet at the weekend? Discuss.....

Rapunzel, my first thought is that a suit can't possibly make .22 of a difference - but then look what happened in swimming. If it really does have a significant impact on times it should definitely be banned.

[SteveK26]

The swimming suit was definately bad news for that sport: the suit got banned but all the records set in them stood.
Lets hope we don't get the same scenario in track and field; there are enough 'dodgy' records on the books already.

[Geoff]

I doubt the suits will make much of a difference but perhaps keep the Yanks warm in what they believe will be terrible weather. Was it 1972 when Bob Seagren was not allowed to use his new vaulting pole because no one else had an opportunity to use them and so he was deemed as gaining an unfair advantage. If the suits are as good as they say then perhaps the IAAF should follow 'suit' - pardon the pun.

[Kermit]

Have we not been here before. Them hideous all in one suits that made the US track team look like speed skaters or something out of an 80's pop video!

[SteveK26]

....and there was Flo-Jo. Was she ahead of her time in terms of clothing? Her records are not too bad....

Did she have more advantages than we suspect?

[trickstat]

If air resistance was as significant an issue for athletes as water resistance is for swimmers, male athletes would have been shaving their limbs and heads for many years.

[trevorp]

Many sites report that the claimed advantage is 0.023 over 100m, i.e. a tenth of what is claimed in the report in the Daily Mail. As many British journalists (and sadly not just those in the DM) are little better than semi-literate it's no surprise that they would have difficulty understanding the importance of placing the decimal point in the correct position.

[Kermit]

Christian Olsson retires before London 2012 Games http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18058158 Sad news

[d pickup]

'Lord Coe defends sponsor protection'

see
www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/may/13/lo ... oe-sponsor

[Kermit]

Craig Pickering forced out of summer Games following back surgery

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympi ... rgery.html

[bevone]

Only about 7 weekends left until OG seletion July 2nd) and all those wishing to the Og will aslo be looking at Europeans as well which are selected in 4 weeks you begin to realise how early the season is and those focussing on later in the seasons may well be caught out. Two A standards by the end of June is a tough ask of 53second adn 47 second 400m runners for example. We will see which coaches aand athletes managed to prepare themselves for this year.

[fangio]

Bev, why would they need 2 current A standards? The criteria asks for the following

Top 2 at the trials

A) One current A
B) One A (not current) and top 8 at the 2011 WC

Not top 2 at trials

A) 2 A's not current
B) 1 A not current and top 8 in 2011 WC, 2009 WC or 2008 OG
C) 2 current B's
D) 1 current B and top 8 in 2011 WC, 2009 WC or 2008 OG

As such Rooney (08 OG and current A) Bingham (09 WC and current B) are both qualified for the men and the others only need to beat 45.9 not 45.3 twice.

For the women Ohurougu (WC09 OG08 and current A) Cox (2 current B or 2 non current A) Shakes Drayton (2 A's not current) are already qualified. The women need only target 52.35 twice not the A.