There is a difference between avoiding a drugs test and missing a drugs test.
Apparently if you want to take drugs to improve your performace you should go and live in a country that doesn't have any out-of-competition testing.
Printable View
Ferdinand got an 8 month ban for ONE missed test, not 3.
Other players received fines for the same offence, while players who tested positive for performance enhancing substances (Stam, Davids) recieved shorter sentences, as in around 3 months.
If missing a test = the assumption that they were taking drugs, then surely it should work both ways, and taking drugs should be the same length ban as missing a test.
Football is a disgrace the way it dishes out disciplinary measures, especially in the UK. It's one of the only organisations in world sport where the disciplinary commitee are from the organisation and the fines are collected by the organisation. Rather a conflict of interest. In Holland it's a local policeman who dishes out the apropriate sentence.
It was no surprise that her appeal was succesful. In the desperate pursuit of medals at any cost the authorities are willing to look the other way when it suits them.
What would the media's reaction have been if Nicola Sanders had been beaten to a gold medal by an athlete from the old eastern bloc shortly after they had served a ban for being a drug cheat? From what i remember Cram's only comment on her ban was something along the lines of 'Christine has had a difficult year'
Ferdinand got banned for being stupid, not for missing a drugs test! He knew he was due to be tested after training but went home anyway. If you believe the gossip, he avoided the test because he thought he'd get found out for having syphilis.
The Mirror story doesn't make sense because they're not supposed to be told about the test, or contacted by the tester.
So why didn't other players get the same ban?
And why should being stupid be a bigger ban than steroid abuse?
The Mirror story is about Ohuruogu.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/columnists/holt/
"Ferdinand got banned for being stupid, not for missing a drugs test! He knew he was due to be tested after training but went home anyway. If you believe the gossip, he avoided the test because he thought he'd get found out for having syphilis.
The Mirror story doesn't make sense because they're not supposed to be told about the test, or contacted by the tester."
hardly a wild jump to think you were reffering to the mirror story about the Ferdinant phone records?