So we are a few days into the World Championships in Edmonton and already its clouded in controversy.
Why is it that whenever there is an major athletics meet, there is a huge scandal?
Reason being is everyone is there for one thing.
To prove they are the best.
That means they are prepared to bend the rules or even break them, to win.
In the past, countries deep in cold war, have stopped at nothing to prove themselves winners.
Drugs, enhancers and even cheating have played a part.
So far we have had little mention of drugs.
Its not the drugs that we immediately think of when the word is mentioned. Not Cocaine or Heroin or other recreational drugs. Its Nandrolone and other steroids for pain control and performance enhancement.
Today it has emerged that a sit down protest is being planned by other athletes against one lady runner who was banned from competition a year ago and has been reinstated.
Even the other athletes are getting opinionated about it now.
Another scandal to emerge robbed one British Runner of a possible World Record.
After posting a world record Junior time, it was discounted due to a faulty wind sensor.
Despite it being proved faulty, the record doe snot stand.
You would think with all of the technology on show and the money being paid, they could get it right.
Once the driving force for competing was winning and maybe breaking a record.
Now, financial incentives are placed before the money hungry athletes.
Breaking a World Record in Edmonton equates to winning $100, 000. I think this is wrong. Its not about the money.
These people that are likely to break records are already making plenty of money.
So people cannot say its for the poor athletes.
The way it has been going, it looks like an expensive games for the organisers.
With the relaxation of the superpowers, new powers have recently emerged in Athletics.
The African nations continue to excel at Long distance and middle distance.
The once strong Eastern Block countries have faded somewhat form their early prowess.
The Americans are still producing the best sprinters. Watch the 4 X 100 metre team trounce the opposition the way they took 1-2-3 in the individual event.
Britain have some talent but cannot compete with the Yanks.
At the end of the day, its about winning the Gold. That should be the driving force.
Its just a shame that it has been lost in the clamber for prize money and cocktails of drugs.