What type of message does this send?
I was watching the USA Track and Field Indoor National Championship today. They started talking about Justin Gatlin and how is lawyers are appealing his ban from track and field (he got the maximum of 8 years) and trying to get it lowered down.
My take on it....Whether you agree or not, he cheated. There are rules. He broke those rules. He knew what he was doing when he broke those rules. He cheated.
I don't care about the record or any of that. He failed his drug test. It was proven that he cheated. He deserves the punishment.
When he then comes back and gets to have an NFL tryout (even though he was banned from track and field for doping) what type of message does that send? Are those drugs that made him fail the test legal in NFL football? NO! What message does that send kids? I'll tell you. It says "Cheating if fine. It doesn't matter if you get caught either. Someone else will give a chance. No big deal."
Now his lawyers want to get his 8 year ban brought down. Again, what is the message? "It is okay to cheat. Don't worry about it. If you get caught, there are ways around the punishment."
Screw that! Gatlin should be out of track and field and he should not be allowed in any sport. Period, end of sentence. The message should be "Cheaters never win. You cheat, you are gone. Zero tolerance."
That kind of stuff drives me crazy.
Patrick
My take on it....Whether you agree or not, he cheated. There are rules. He broke those rules. He knew what he was doing when he broke those rules. He cheated.
I don't care about the record or any of that. He failed his drug test. It was proven that he cheated. He deserves the punishment.
When he then comes back and gets to have an NFL tryout (even though he was banned from track and field for doping) what type of message does that send? Are those drugs that made him fail the test legal in NFL football? NO! What message does that send kids? I'll tell you. It says "Cheating if fine. It doesn't matter if you get caught either. Someone else will give a chance. No big deal."
Now his lawyers want to get his 8 year ban brought down. Again, what is the message? "It is okay to cheat. Don't worry about it. If you get caught, there are ways around the punishment."
Screw that! Gatlin should be out of track and field and he should not be allowed in any sport. Period, end of sentence. The message should be "Cheaters never win. You cheat, you are gone. Zero tolerance."
That kind of stuff drives me crazy.
Patrick
Its not just about the message they are sending. Its more like FACT. It just shows how screwed up this world is. It clearly shows that cheaters are wanted elsewhere. As long as things like this happens, there will be more cheaters. Because they know they can get away with it, as evident in your example.
IMHO, he should be banned for life, not 8 years. Too bad, soo sad.
Posted by
wrecked_porsche |
February 25, 2007 at 5:35 PM