To ask how people feel about Dwayne Chambers representing England?

[sensuallettuce]

Not sure how I feel about this.

He has done a lot of work with kids around drug abuse in his own time. Was that part of his campaign to have his ban lifted?

But others who have never had a chance have missed out to him.

I ask as a former drug addict (so as not to drip feed).

I think second chances and redemption are all good. People make mistakes. You are alive a long time and people deserve a chance to make right. If he got through to the olympics then he is one of the best runners we have and we should have faith in that.

It might stop the sneering about the name, Dwayne, on MN, if nothing else.

I am a huge athletics fan.

Yes I believe he should compete. I do however feel sorry for his fellow athletes who lost out due to his drug use. I saw a documentary on him and I think he got sucked into it through training in the USA which is very competitive. I would say give him another chance.

The only real contenders for medals in the 100m are Bolt, Powell, Gay and Blake. I also think Lemaitre of France is pretty good.

He is a friend. Wish him nothing but the best.

I don't see how any sentence can be forever, we don't do that to most murderers. If he is reformed I don't see a problem.

But we don't let murderers and theives profit from crime. As I understand it steroids (it was steroids wasn't it?) help to build up muscle, and that muscle is what enables him to run.

I know team GB is the only one that has life time bans, but I think it is right. You can compete in anything but not the Olympics.

And, correct me if I'm wrong, he hasn't qualified yet has he?

He took them knowing the consequences. This isn't someone addicted to crack trying to rebuild their life but a person who took drugs to cheat,to cheat others out of their win. He knew it'd be a ban & did it anyway.
I don't think that sends a very positive picture to young aspiring athletes. Do it,if you get caught,just appeal.
I do understand what others have said in that he's done his time etc. It's an interesting debate.

I believe everyone deserves a second chance, and the right to earn a living in their chosen field. He has been dealt with harshly, more harshly than athletes in other countries, and even in other sports (David Miller is representing cycling after being banned too, and has had a successful career for several years since his ban).

The arguement is that he might have improved his chances by doing drugs in the past. Not sure about this one. His performance actually declined as he got bigger, and he is noticably smaller now so would seem not to be benefitting any more.

He has had his punishment. I suspect athletes who got caught and admitted to taking drugs are likely to be cleaner than those who have never been caught.
All countries should have the same rules as to who is eligible for the olympics, that is all that has happened in the past year.
The best athletes should be chosen to represent GB, if they are now clean then their past history of drug taking should be ignored.
He didn't rape or kill anyone.

He was banned years ago, wasn't he? And will forever be known as a drugs cheat.

FWIW I don't think that he should be allowed to compete, but the fact that he's qualified through the proper channels and ahead of the other competitors means he's in the squad because he's the best man for the job.

I'm more surprised that after all this time we don't haveee a better crop of young sprinters to choose from. Where are the up and coming guys?

It doesn't piss me off as much as "representing England" does.

Oh FFS leave the man alone, Kate Moss was caught taking cocaine she's still a supermodel and representing the U.K.

Profit from crime your delusional if you think he makes a lot of money I saw a doc on him two years ago and him and his wife and kids were not living the life of riley. Most British athletes pay for their own training and have second jobs. Money is not invested in them but yet we expect them to win and are so quick to trash them when they dont. Dwayne Chambers does not make big money like the Americans and Jamaicans he does not even have endorsements. He lives of winnings from races. We all make mistakes how we behave afterwards is what matters. That man has been flogged for his mistake for years what do you want from him.

MrsReiver seriously? .

To be fair - Kate Moss is not an athlete?

Seriously? You're comparing an English model doing recreational drugs to someone who will in a few weeks be putting on a 'Team GB' kit and competing when he's been caught taking drugs designed to cheat other athletes out of medals?

He doesn't make 'big money'. Partly because his name is dirt - he's a cheat. Partly because this isn't football where people are on millions. It's a sport where, for the vast majority of people involved, their waking lives are dedicated to something that brings them very little financial gain and is very unlikely to ever result in a single World/Olympic medal - some people do it all without a hope of actually qualifying for a final. Wait until the Olympics is on and look at the athletes who don't make it through the heats. They still train for hours a day. They still give everything and don't get cash or glory. That's what it's about.

Yeah that was possibly a slight overreaction. It had been a bad morning.

Dragons, Saltires and Big red hands/green, white and gold as appropriate.

I think it's wrong. If he allowed to compete competitively so be it but under no circumstances should a country be represented by a cheat. Another point is what message it's sending out to young people.
For myself I find it offensive that he's representing my country.

He - legally - has to be allowed to compete, but IMO shouldn't be allowed to wear the team kit.

Biggots and racists

Im not comparing their jobs you nitwit im highlighting the double standards, this is the reason British athletes never win and never will, becausr of people unwilling to support them until the have to take desperate meadures. Ask your self why he had to go to America to train in the first place.

I don't think he should be allowed to compete. When he took the drugs the rules were if you get caught you don't ever get to be in our Olympic team, he knew the punishment but did it anyway, I would rather we came last with our heads held high than win because we let a drug cheat run

You had someone who got banned for avoiding drug testing win a medal st the last Olympics didn't you?

Who is calling who a "nitwit" here?

I'm trying to have an opinion on this one. Hard. Very hard.. oh nearly.. no missed it. Damn.

Shera04 - I agree with all your posts. You are absolutely correct about the amount of money athletes make in the UK compared to the Americans and Jamaicans. I say give him another chance.