Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Disgrace
Not too long ago, a friend whose grasp of sport I admire was trying to convince me that sooner rather than later, there would be a time when every single athletics icon we had looked up to in our formative years would be unceremoniously dumped as they would be nailed for usage of performance-enhancing drugs. I had not believed him then and I daresay a respectable volte-face would be almost in order now.
“..Three-time Olympic champion Marion Jones pleaded guilty to lying to U.S. government investigators when she denied using performance-enhancing drugs, and subsequently announced her retirement from athletics. Outside the courthouse, Jones broke down in tears as she apologized for her actions, saying she fully understands she has disappointed her friends, family and supporters.
“..Three-time Olympic champion Marion Jones pleaded guilty to lying to U.S. government investigators when she denied using performance-enhancing drugs, and subsequently announced her retirement from athletics. Outside the courthouse, Jones broke down in tears as she apologized for her actions, saying she fully understands she has disappointed her friends, family and supporters.
"I have let them down. I have let my country down, and I have let myself down," she said. "It is with a great amount of shame that I stand before you and tell you I have betrayed your trust. "I recognize that by saying I'm deeply sorry, it might not be enough and sufficient to address the pain and hurt that I've caused you. Therefore, I want to ask for your forgiveness for my actions, and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me." “”
I have railed often against the limited coverage that athletics gets only because there is nothing better for a sports-lover to watch than the unbridled joy as a body explodes into action, or someone summons mind over matter in holding on-remember Butch Reynolds’ description of the 400m, or the metronomic discipline and will-power of a long-distance runner trudging lap after lap and still mustering the strength for a crowd-pleasing kick as the bell goes. And few would argue that Kelly Holmes coming from nowhere to win two Olympic Golds to rewrite an entire career that never took off, or a Guerrouj on the verge of maniacal desperation ready to shed all in a frenzied quest for that elusive gold, were accidents.
I have railed often against the limited coverage that athletics gets only because there is nothing better for a sports-lover to watch than the unbridled joy as a body explodes into action, or someone summons mind over matter in holding on-remember Butch Reynolds’ description of the 400m, or the metronomic discipline and will-power of a long-distance runner trudging lap after lap and still mustering the strength for a crowd-pleasing kick as the bell goes. And few would argue that Kelly Holmes coming from nowhere to win two Olympic Golds to rewrite an entire career that never took off, or a Guerrouj on the verge of maniacal desperation ready to shed all in a frenzied quest for that elusive gold, were accidents.
I just hope that when these efforts are discredited later on, someone will be kind enough to not let me know.
"I think the fans mind," "I think the fans have a little bit of a moral issue with it, but at the same time, they still love the game so much that it's hard for them to stay away.
Right Ho, It’s decided then, I stay !
о дальше, Yelena !!!
"I think the fans mind," "I think the fans have a little bit of a moral issue with it, but at the same time, they still love the game so much that it's hard for them to stay away.
Right Ho, It’s decided then, I stay !
о дальше, Yelena !!!
