Mo Farah

[G B Young]

Where is this heading? Doesn't sound like he's going to come off looking too clever in tonight's Panorama special:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/51591701

Until now I've never thought Farah seemed to have much to hide, but these allegations relate to the time he was with Salazar so I imagine this story may have some way to run.

[Viva_Palmeiras]

Mark Daly must be the investigative journalists equivalent of the war correspondent Kate Adie - wherever they go there's trouble :)

[JeMeSouviens]

I am not in the slightest bit surprised. His almost miracle like improvement between 2008 and 2012 (he was 25 in 2008 btw) just doesn't happen naturally. It's up there with Novak Djokovic's gluten intolerance and the Wiggins/Froome Team Sky asthma epidemic, :rolleyes:

Usain Bolt is another one. A peek at the background data on him is eye opening to say the least.

[Pretty Boy]

I'm quite sad about the whole thing. I liked Farah and he was huge for distance running in the UK but the more this rumbles the more it looks like he is going to see his reputation in tatters. The substance he was using is legal up to a certain dosage so the fact he 'forgot' he had the injections and his doctor failed to note it because of his 'workload' just seems either totally implausible or a bit too convenient.

He can point to all the drugs tests he has passed but Lance Armstrong and the whole Russian scandal suggests that means absolutely nothing. The natural reaction for me now is to question almost every athlete at the top of their game in any sport, sad but true.

[G B Young]

I am not in the slightest bit surprised. His almost miracle like improvement between 2008 and 2012 (he was 25 in 2008 btw) just doesn't happen naturally. It's up there with Novak Djokovic's gluten intolerance and the Wiggins/Froome Team Sky asthma epidemic, :rolleyes:

Usain Bolt is another one. A peek at the background data on him is eye opening to say the least.

Yes, the seemingly overnight transformation in Djokovic from petulant young brat regularly withdrawing 'injured' from matches he was struggling in to almost unbeatable automaton has never sat comfortably with me, while as far as I'm aware the 'jiffy bag' scandal relating to Wiggins has never been satisfactorily explained away.

[G B Young]

I'm quite sad about the whole thing. I liked Farah and he was huge for distance running in the UK but the more this rumbles the more it looks like he is going to see his reputation in tatters. The substance he was using is legal up to a certain dosage so the fact he 'forgot' he had the injections and his doctor failed to note it because of his 'workload' just seems either totally implausible or a bit too convenient.

He can point to all the drugs tests he has passed but Lance Armstrong and the whole Russian scandal suggests that means absolutely nothing. The natural reaction for me now is to question almost every athlete at the top of their game in any sport, sad but true.

I agree. Sad is the right word for it.

[Ozyhibby]

The biggest scandal that is still to come will be in football. Very little testing done (zero in Scotland) but the sums of money involved in the sport mean that a young player would be daft not to be taking drugs.


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[bigwheel]

The biggest scandal that is still to come will be in football. Very little testing done (zero in Scotland) but the sums of money involved in the sport mean that a young player would be daft not to be taking drugs.


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Not in the UK ...Don’t believe it ...there isn’t a common practice of performance enhancing drugs in football ....will be rare if it happens at all

[Kato]

(cough) alan wells

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[The Modfather]

The biggest scandal that is still to come will be in football. Very little testing done (zero in Scotland) but the sums of money involved in the sport mean that a young player would be daft not to be taking drugs.


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Rio Ferdinand. Wouldn’t surprise me if Alex Ferguson teams, renowned for their last minute winners, were involved in this. No evidence to suggest that was the case, and he’s the best ever manager IMO and his teams were the best. However, given the power and control he had over the media for example, can see how he’d be able to pull the strings to get away with it.

Ferdinand “forgetting” about his drugs test stunk at the time and still does.

[Renfrew_Hibby]

Can we not all just be open and up front about this.
Top class elite sport, whether it's the Olympics or Tennis, World Cup football or probably even tiddlywinks is just full of drugged up, blood doped athletes.
If we accept that then we can just sit back and enjoy the spectacle.
Whenever a world record gets broken somewhere, the doctors and farmacists should be getting recognition also.

[Cataplana]

(cough) alan wells

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What was the story there? Middle ranked long jumper in 1976. Olympic gold winner in 1980 at 100 metres.

He was a skinny thing then his neck swelled up like a bull and had a back covered in plooks.

But he says Drew McMaster was just jealous. Who to believe, eh?

[Ozyhibby]

Can we not all just be open and up front about this.
Top class elite sport, whether it's the Olympics or Tennis, World Cup football or probably even tiddlywinks is just full of drugged up, blood doped athletes.
If we accept that then we can just sit back and enjoy the spectacle.
Whenever a world record gets broken somewhere, the doctors and farmacists should be getting recognition also.

No because we have a duty of care to protect vulnerable people from killing themselves.


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[wpj]

Every time I watch these documentaries I don't think I am any the wiser as to what has happened or not. It never seems to be as cut and dried as in my mind it should be. A test should be negative or positive or at the very least conclusive. I get I am merely a spectator and no expert but as a fan of various sports and sportspeople I hope I am watching athletes at their physical peak not a chemical peak, yes its naive I know.

[Ozyhibby]

Not in the UK ...Don’t believe it ...there isn’t a common practice of performance enhancing drugs in football ....will be rare if it happens at all

That’s very naive IMO. The athletic performance of footballers as athletes has gone through the roof in the last 25 years and it’s not all down to diet and exercise. An 18-20 year old kid who is on the cusp of his first big contract or possibly being released will be very tempted to go that extra mile to gain access to the big leagues. Especially when there is no testing standing in his way.


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[bigwheel]

That’s very naive IMO. The athletic performance of footballers as athletes has gone through the roof in the last 25 years and it’s not all down to diet and exercise. An 18-20 year old kid who is on the cusp of his first big contract or possibly being released will be very tempted to go that extra mile to gain access to the big leagues. Especially when there is no testing standing in his way.


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No evidence of it ..actually asked a few people in football after your post and my reply ..and they say - in their view doesn’t exist in UK in any material form ...

[RyeSloan]

No evidence of it ..actually asked a few people in football after your post and my reply ..and they say - in their view doesn’t exist in UK in any material form ...

That’s the SFA line as well is it not?

Nothing to see here, no problem what so ever.

Not that they do any testing or have any empirical evidence of course just a belief and the word from those fitba’ folk that ken.

[Hibbyradge]

Rio Ferdinand. Wouldn’t surprise me if Alex Ferguson teams, renowned for their last minute winners, were involved in this. No evidence to suggest that was the case, and he’s the best ever manager IMO and his teams were the best. However, given the power and control he had over the media for example, can see how he’d be able to pull the strings to get away with it.

Ferdinand “forgetting” about his drugs test stunk at the time and still does.

Ferdinand was fined and banned, tbf.

[Hibbyradge]

Can we not all just be open and up front about this.
Top class elite sport, whether it's the Olympics or Tennis, World Cup football or probably even tiddlywinks is just full of drugged up, blood doped athletes.
If we accept that then we can just sit back and enjoy the spectacle.
Whenever a world record gets broken somewhere, the doctors and farmacists should be getting recognition also.

I understand why you say that, I thought it for a while too, but it's a flawed argument.

If your bairn showed a bit of promise in an elite sport, would you be happy for him/her to inject themselves with God knows what to succeed?

If putting chemicals into your body is the only way to win then it's just not sport.

[Cataplana]

No because we have a duty of care to protect vulnerable people from killing themselves.


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Define "vulnerable."

[DaveF]

Yes, the seemingly overnight transformation in Djokovic from petulant young brat regularly withdrawing 'injured' from matches he was struggling in to almost unbeatable automaton has never sat comfortably with me, while

Didn't Borg more of less do the same thing? From angry racquet smasher to ice cool champion. I'm not casting doubt on either as I've read nothing of their backgrounds in detail - just pointing out a mild similarity albeit decades apart.

[Hibrandenburg]

Define "vulnerable."

Children, aspiring youths, trusting adults would be my guess.

[Cataplana]

Children, aspiring youths, trusting adults would be my guess.

How about adults who make decisions with their own free wil

[Hibrandenburg]

How about adults who make decisions with their own free wil

Some maybe.

[Cataplana]

Some maybe.

Why are they vulnerable?

[Hibrandenburg]

Why are they vulnerable?

Adults can be vulnerable for a variety of reasons.

[Cataplana]

Adults can be vulnerable for a variety of reasons.

Probably.

[G B Young]

(cough) alan wells

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-32883944

And I seem to recall he's a yam to boot :wink:

[ACLeith]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-32883944

And I seem to recall he's a yam to boot :wink:

I was told about Wells / McMaster and drugs a long time ago I can’t remember exactly when but at least 25 years ago. A source who I regarded as impeccable. He told me how he knew. When I mentioned the “evidence” of our own eyes he just raised his eyebrows, smiled and nodded his head!

[Cataplana]

I was told about Wells / McMaster and drugs a long time ago I can’t remember exactly when but at least 25 years ago. A source who I regarded as impeccable. He told me how he knew. When I mentioned the “evidence” of our own eyes he just raised his eyebrows, smiled and nodded his head!

I can go back 40 years. A friend shared the same coach at one point, but switched when steroids were mentioned.

[ACLeith]

I can go back 40 years. A friend shared the same coach at one point, but switched when steroids were mentioned.

I don’t think we’re talking about the same friend but independent corroborated evidence is even stronger

[Cataplana]

I don’t think we’re talking about the same friend but independent corroborated evidence is even stronger

If it looks like a dog, and barks like a dog, it usually is a dog.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Probably.

FFS, Have a look at the mental health thread.

[Cataplana]

FFS, Have a look at the mental health thread.

I was really trying to understand how Mo Farah would be classed as a vulnerable person.

There are many ways people are vulnerable, but very few vulnerable people end up as multi millionaires.

Vulnerable means at danger of exploitation, or defenceless. Not exactly the qualities that would produce a world champion I would think.

That is why I mentioned free will. Mental illness can have a detrimental effect on free will.

I look at the mental health thread regularly, by the way, see many strong people dealing with adversity. I also see much compassion and empathy from others.

[Hibrandenburg]

I was really trying to understand how Mo Farah would be classed as a vulnerable person.

There are many ways people are vulnerable, but very few vulnerable people end up as multi millionaires.

Vulnerable means at danger of exploitation, or defenceless. Not exactly the qualities that would produce a world champion I would think.

That is why I mentioned free will. Mental illness can have a detrimental effect on free will.

I look at the mental health thread regularly, by the way, see many strong people dealing with adversity. I also see much compassion and empathy from others.

Nobody claimed Mo Farah was vulnerable as far as I can see.

[Smartie]

Vulnerability can take many forms.

Rich and powerful people may have character flaws that are open to exploitation.

[Cataplana]

Nobody claimed Mo Farah was vulnerable as far as I can see.

I obviously didn't read it closely enough. I thought he was one of the vulnerable people we owe a duty of care to.

If not, fair enough.