Fallen Heroes

How did my World Cup Qualifiers system work? Well I got 9 out of 13 which was only about what was expected given the odds so maybe it’s not a get rich quick scheme.

Anyway on to more serious matters. I can’t help but see the similarities in Lance Armstrong and Jimmy Savile. Lance Armstrong was regarded by many as a saint. To lose a nut to cancer and to go on to win the Tour de France 7 times and do so much work for cancer charities it seemed too good to be true and that’s how it turned out.

If he only drugged himself that would be bad and I’d feel for the odd cyclist who didn’t take drugs and finished down the field but like the Savile revelations things seemed to get worse and worse as it seems he pressured those around him to take drugs to support him, as lead cyclists often rely on the strength of their team mates.

Savile also seemed to be a saint and Jim’ll Fix It was a part of my childhood that is now tainted. Here was another whose charity work was massive and who was an icon. It turns out it was mainly to get the keys to the kiddy wards. It seems strange it didn’t come out when he was still alive but the few whistle-blowers there were seem to have got short shrift

Back to the drugs in sports and it makes you wonder how many more fantastic sporting performances were drugs-fuelled. I guess time will tell, but records that are held for many years are the first to arouse suspicion as generally sporting equipment and training methods are improving and sporting achievements should also be improving.

Some must be genuine. Every sport must throw up a Frankel that’s a freakishly outstanding performer, but we will always wonder. I’ll make sure my next blog is on a more cheery note so tara for now.