the stakes are higher but does that mean you would take the wrong path? If everybody around you is getting richer (through the right or wrong means) does that mean you can steal from them because the temptation to do it is higher!!! its a different thing that different countries use different yard stick to judge doping (remb dpoing allegations against Carl lewis? and MLB players?) and that issue is the real thing to tackle. 100m in Jesse Owens era is the same as today it's only that the competition is more high-tech now and if you are caught only then are you called a cheat. I firmly believe that almost some level of illegal substance abuse is done by all the athletes else you don`t stand a chance.
One hasn't come across a more outlandish piece than this in recent memory. If the media is euologising a feat, it is only because it thinks that it is a genuine sporting feat. Then how can the media be at fault? Just because the routes and stages get tougher every year, organisers are not wanting Tour cyclists to cheat. Just because examinations become tougher every year, authorities and parents are not wanting students to cheat. People want to watch genuine athletes. It doesnt matter whether they break records or not. How many world records were made in athletics at the last Olympics? Did people watch it yet? No body can take the credit away from Gatlin that he ran 100 metres in 9.77 seconds. Ben Johnson also ran almost the same time years ago. Then it was found it was on dope. No one talks about Ben; barring in contemptuous terms; Gatlin will soon join him. No matter what people like Gautier writes.
For a change the author changed tracks and focused on some realities taking place elsewhere outside India. That's good - some breath of fresh air !! Back to doping, the author completely omitted the mention of coach and managers, who rule the lives of athelets. These two people are key figures, whom the athelets trust. If they spike the drink or food with enhancing drugs, these athelets will never know. As rightly mentioned by author, no matter how much drugs a sportsperson use, end of the day, it takes many years of hard practise to produce spostmen like Gatlins and Landis. Its not fair to blame the media, as they are not directly involved, and they infact help promote a sports personality, which encourages him to perform better and better. If there was no TV sponsorship, sports will suffer, and we will never hear or know about great athelets. Ofcourse, media has a way of twisting facts to sensationalise or promote a personality, but its not restricted to sports only.
RE:DOPING
by Manilal on Jul 17, 2007 04:48 PM Permalink
Mr.Hanif, Why are you so worried when Mr.Francois tell the truth. When some Indian tell these things he will be tagged as a 'Hindu Fascist', isn't it?
Interesting article Mr gautier. Media has certainly become very irresponsible. Whether it is the portrayal of the gujarat riots or Sonia gandhi's "sacrifice" or even the latest "tol,mole ke bol" jaswant singh issue.... sensationalizing the issue is the way to survive! But a second look at the problem tells me that our society is going back to those barbaric times. We like to see people suffer. We want to exploit whatever we can to fill our pockets, we want to bribe people and get out of sticky situations, yet point fingers at others who take money ... we are becoming a very hypocritical society. So the media is as worldly as we lesser mortals are. But that also makes me curious whether they would allow someone to police their activities?
RE:Doped!
by ravikant on Aug 03, 2006 12:58 PM Permalink
The role of the media is becoming controversial in recent times.We as a society have turned hypocritical.We want spectacles: all sorts of spectacles whether of tragic scenes of destruction or of vulgar displays of wealth, or of the people getting bombed and shot or of sport.All we want are spectacles. The media panders to this perverse taste in ever increasing doses of stupidity and vulgarity.The competition to produce a media copy with slick copies is fierce.Nothing; absolutely nothing is spared. It is only the media which raises a ruckus whenever there are attempts to regulate them. While it is tenuous to link the media to sportmen resorting to doping in order to shine in the media, there is however, the media involvement needlessly publicising certain sports over others,inspite of our mediocre performance in the sport.This is driven by purely commercial considerations and thoroughly spoiled the few talented sportsmen and made them into media icons. It is certainly doping the public by the media.
i totally agree with the views expressed bu the writer but its sad that none of us come oit inthe open as mass public to voice our concern and protests
RE:this guy can speak apart from neo brahanism
by ab on Aug 04, 2006 03:00 PM Permalink
What is neo, psuedo, quasi-why use these uselss words? There are no ideas plain english cannot express.
RE:this guy can speak apart from neo brahanism
by Naresh Nayak on Apr 18, 2007 01:37 AM Permalink
Surprised to see a Frenchman can see the truth where no secularists and marxists and atheists and anti hindus can! I can only deduce that the Frenchmen speak the truth, and our inferior blooded Indian breathren (belonging to the above groups) simply can't
