Subway Surfers Addiction wrote:
snowflake runner wrote:A lot of people don't like him due to doping obviously, but the British public just don't know how widespread of a problem doping is in athletics. Everyone in that 100m final is doped to the eyeballs, 60% of runners in 10k yesterday is doped. Soon there'll be huge busts 10x more than the lance episode.
Hilarious, the crowd obviously knew nothing about t&f.
I think you'll find they are a pretty knowledgeable crowd who aren't as fickle as many others, and don't have short memories. I've heard British crowds boo their own man, Chambers, at meets, so they are consistent with their behaviour.
Of course there are other athletes there with lower profiles that have returned after doping offences, and no they haven't yet booed them. But I can't think of many who are competing who have failed 2 drug tests!?
Gatlin showed no contrition and never apologised for what he did. In many fans' eyes, rightly or wrongly, he is closely associated with the demise of the sport over the last 10 years or so. Of course many who closely follow the sport know that it isn't as simple as that, but we can't criticise and point fingers at athletes on almost every thread, who haven't even tested positive, and then get all precious about a crowd booing someone who has doped twice, who has criticised Bolt and who has likely benefitted from the long term benefits of steroid use, even after stopping. You can't have it both ways, and the punishment of dopers, mainly due to legal obstacles, is far too lenient. It's a good reminder to those that choose to cheat that they should expect criticism and lack of respect from the fans.
Gatlin, and all other proven and caught dopers will get no sympathy from me. Yes, booing is probably a step too far, more akin to a football crowd than athletics, and perhaps just silence would have been more appropriate when his name was announced, but at least the crowd shows enthusiasm and interest in the sport. When fans of the sport are hemorrhaging all over the world, with pitiful attendances in many national championships, I don't think I've ever seen a maximum at a major championships in morning sessions! We need these numbers to keep the sport in the mainstream and rejuvinate interest in T&F. It's just been on one of the main channels for 6+ hours with continuous live coverage.