Dopey dopes. - Clubhouse - Runner's World

D74

27/02/2009 at 07:32

Seems harsh to me for cocaine, given it's not a PED and his absolute admision of guilt (refused to get B test tested).

Remember this is the same ban as someone who actively takes steroids and other PEDs with a view to cheating.

But then he's a role model, very high profile and so he's being made an example of. But I'm not sure who to. Not to the gen pop in terms of cocaine use, but to other sporting people, and surely a 1 year ban with the ability to continue to train and with some mandatory community service promoting the game / anti drugs to kids would have been in everyone's best interests?

Badly Drawn Bloke

27/02/2009 at 11:12

It's a banned substance because it is a PED - although he would have been taking it recreationally.

I think it's a fair outcome and it's good that he has taken punishment humbly. Hopefully he can come back from this with abit of integrity in tact.

Dave The Ex- Spartan pirate

pirate

27/02/2009 at 11:13

Rugby, Unlike football have signed up to the WADA list, So any drug is banned..

Face it the guy is a prat, With Phil Vickery coming to the end of his career the place was his for years to come.. and he threw it all away

fat buddha

27/02/2009 at 11:27

Stevens - as Dave says - is a prat and any sportsman in the public eye should know where the lines are and he stepped over it by his own admission. He can't play for 2 years, he's lost his England contract and is likely to lose his Bath one - that's a big hole in his pocket. He's only 26 so can come back from this although 2 years out will take a lot out of his game.

time will tell what happens to his rugby career now

Badly Drawn Bloke

27/02/2009 at 11:33

I totally agree that he has been a twat and got what he deserves. I'm just pleased to see that he has taken resonsability and not made any excuses.

Dave The Ex- Spartan pirate

pirate

27/02/2009 at 11:33

Reaches for diary.. Me and FB agreed on something !!

Still looking for some wesh ancestory so I can enjoy tonights game...

D74

27/02/2009 at 11:36

He's 26, and international star and loaded. He developed an adiction that he's now getting treatment for. Perhaps I'm thinking then that the bigger issues are a lack of punishment in athletics and especially girlyball. My worry is that someone who ends up in a simmilar place in the future doesn't seek the help they need for fear of such a harsh punishment. Aren't there a load of snowbarders that have been allowed to carry on despite recreational drugs being found in their systems?

Swerve

27/02/2009 at 11:42

D74 - I have to disagree - athletics is very rigid regarding the 2 year ban (OK, the Ohuruogu et al missed-test fiasco undermined it but it's still the mandatory sentence). Football (I assume you mean) - agree 100%. People in football still think Rio Ferdinand was picked on.

Edited: 27/02/2009 at 11:43

fat buddha

27/02/2009 at 11:46

difference is with the snowboarders Dunc is that you need to be drugged up to handle some of the things they do..........

I think if I applaud one thing it's his admission of guilt - did you ever see Dwayne Chambers, Marion Jones, Ben Johnson etc admit their guilt despite all the evidence - OK Jones did but pretty reluctantly in the end.......

hopefully Stevens and rugby generally will be better for the admission...

and he's not the 1st rugby player to be banned - others have but mainly for steroids - but is the highest profile so far

Podro

27/02/2009 at 11:56

Dwayne Chambers DID admit his guilty and was recently to be heard on the radio moaning that his treatment by the media and authorities was as harsh as it would have been had he denied all charges. His thesis was that there is therefore no advantage to putting your hands up so people are going to be less likely to do so in the future.

Bionic Ironwolf pirate

pirate

27/02/2009 at 12:00

I have absolutely no sympathy for Chambers or any other drug cheats. Try not to dwell on these things too much because it makes me very angry that people with the sporting ability and talent I would give my eye teeth for don't see how lucky they already are.

Edited: 27/02/2009 at 12:02

fat buddha

27/02/2009 at 12:01

the point I'm making Podro is that Stevens admitted up front - no questions, guilty as charged, I was wrong.

Chambers et al went through constant denial of guilt until they were proven guilty by testing - yet of course they knew they were in the wrong but weren't prepared to accept it until much later - it's that that pees me off........

Swerve

27/02/2009 at 12:02

Chambers is full of it.
He clammed up big time and he knows it. So honest and open of him to admit it only a few months after he was absolutely nailed to the wall.

Bionic Ironwolf pirate

pirate

27/02/2009 at 12:03

indeed, FB

Badly Drawn Bloke

27/02/2009 at 12:04

Chambers really doesn't get it does he? OK, so your punishment may be the same, but the media and therefore pulic perception of you if you hold your hands up will be entirely different allowing you to perhapes salvagge some sort of career after. Twat.

skotty

27/02/2009 at 13:26

fat buddha wrote (see)

any sportsman in the public eye should know where the lines are...

sounds like he did know where they were.

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