The drug mockery of contemporary international sports

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French authorities have also been supportive of the WADA\initiative and the International Cycling Union (UCI) has been anxious to been recognized as committed to cleaning up the sport.
There have been several swoops on participating cycling teams conducted during the Tour by French authorities seeking out the perpetrators of drug use in the sport while on French soil.
Lance Armstrong, seven-time winner of the grueling Tour de France, retired from the sport under a cloud of suspicion and a hail of pronouncements that he would engage in a number of suits against his accusers. Needless to say Armstrong was credited with claiming that he has since dropped his suits against his accusers in Europe, apparently having been satisfied with the outcomes of his suits elsewhere.
Armstrong retired last year and Landis emerged as the next American to join Greg LeMond and Armstrong as leaders in the sport, especially in the Tour de France.
Even in the shorter versions of the sport of cycling there have been allegations, accusations and a number of positive drug tests.
Even in the Caribbean we have had Barbadian cyclist, Barry Forde, stripped of his Pan American Games 2003 gold medal in the Kieren as a result of a positive drugs test. There has also been the case of Tyson of Trinidad and Tobago failing a drug test some years ago. He now resides abroad and competes for the USA.
Cycling has been seen globally as being as tainted as weightlifting and bodybuilding in the use of performance enhancing substances by athletes and often with the compliance and at times full support/encouragement of their coaches.

The Gatlin case

Followers of track and field athletics fell in love with the once quiet Justin Gatlin when he swept to a surprise victory in the 100m at the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004.
Gatlin improved so much after the Athens victory that he won both the 100m and 200m in fine style at the IAAF’s World Outdoor Championships in Helsinki, Finland, 2005.
After each round in the lead up to the grand finals Gatlin was most remembered for his smooth style and his gracious kneeling down to pray after passing the finish line. At least many thought that his clasped hands signalled a commitment to prayer and by extension honesty and fair play in the sport.