Issue 31 Spring 2012 - Bases

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Right: The British Olympic Association bylaw, which enforces a lifetime Olympic ban on drugs cheats such as Dwain Chambers, will soon face legal scrutiny by the Court of Arbitration for Sport The Whyte answer! The wait is almost over: Delivering the toughest targets remain! The 6th July, 2005 and the historic words flowed from the President of the IOC, Jacques Rogge’s, lips; “…… the Games of the 30th Olympiad are awarded to the city of…….. London.” That date has become a ‘JFK moment’ as we all remember where we were when the announcement was made. History was made that day as London will become the only city, to date, to host the Olympic Games on three occasions. Since that historic day the UK has been watching on as the plans of LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games) and the ODA (Olympic Delivery Authority) unfold under the closest of media scrutiny ready to pounce on any semblance of underachievement. Much to the disappointment of the press however; there has been little to criticise regarding the infrastructure; the ODA have delivered on time and to a level of Olympic excellence, despite being in the midst of a global recession (ironically the 1948 Games was dubbed the ‘Austerity Games’). Despite sporadic media condemnation of the ticketing process LOCOG appear to have been equally successful however; their job has only just begun! With such apparently strong foundations the stage is set for the greatest show on earth. To cement the London 2012 Olympic Games in UK history, two key deliverables remain: (1) Performance; and (2) Legacy. Performance appears to be ‘on-target’ according to those in the know: the funding agency (UK Sport) and the team leaders (BOA). The prediction of fourth place on the medal table (the same as Beijing, 2008) is the projected aim for Team GB and given the continued success of British athletes in major championships around the globe it would appear that this is a realistic target. Whilst you would be forgiven for believing that only the male half of Team GB will be mounting the podium following the 2011 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards; there are likely to be a wealth of British female athletes mouthing the national anthem as the Union Jack is unfurled. Team GB will be better prepared than ever before with much of that preparation due to the unprecedented funding for elite sport; £660 million since 2006. Fortunately, the cost of hosting the Olympic Games will be forgiven as the debacle of Wembley Stadium eclipses the cost of any future sporting infrastructure project in the UK (the sliding roof doesn’t work despite £798 million!); and as long as Team GB perform at, or close to its projected target the investment will be regarded as a success. I for one am looking forward to the greatest show on earth coming to the UK, and whilst I will be watching much of it from the comfort of my sofa – tickets are rarer than a Research Council grant to a non-Russell Group University! – I am certain that the BBC, the ruler of sports broadcasting, will provide the ultimate viewing experience. There is only one Olympic topic that is likely to take precedence on the tabloid back pages: doping; which is sure to take centre stage pre-, during, and post-Olympics. The insatiable appetite of the press to report on those in the sporting community who have failed to understand the concept of fair play will undoubtedly provide sustenance for hungry hacks. But never fear; we have the invaluable input of athletes who have been found guilty of antidoping offences and served bans from their sport telling us to ‘just say no’! Do I really have to listen to drug cheats spouting the virtues of ‘drug-free sport’ and the appropriate sentences for contravening anti-doping regulations? Most irksome of all are the drug cheats who tell me there should be no life ban; I don’t remember asking murderers how long their sentence should be so why should the thoughts of those that contravene the laws of the game be extolled as the voice of reason. When I was the Chair of the BOA Athlete’s Commission from 1997-2000 we voted on the by-law upholding a life ban from the Olympics for doping-positive athletes aka. CHEATS; the result was unanimous support for a life-ban. Whilst this position is likely to be overturned by CAS prior to London 2012 it provides a clear and certain reminder that athletes with integrity wish to keep sport pure. WADA recently reported that 10% of athletes are taking performance enhancing drugs; a sad indictment on modern sport that is sure to tarnish both the London 2012 Olympic Games and the true Olympian alike. My only solace in this sad affair is that the cheats will be hunted down like vermin and, when caught; punished. My fear is that the sophistication of anti-doping evasion and new drug development may continue to provide a hiding place for those bereft of moral and ethical boundaries. Whilst capital punishment for offenders may be a stretch too far, my vote remains for the life-ban. On the second, and some would say most important London 2012 deliverable we have an area that has created an acrimonious debate that is sure to gain in volume as we approach 27 July: Legacy. From the government to LOCOG, no-one appears to want to take responsibility and there appears to be little palpable evidence of any lasting legacy for the UK. Whilst the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will provide a world class sporting facility for future generations, how many amongst us will have their lives transformed by the availability of a velodrome in East London? I may have misunderstood the promise of ‘Legacy’ promulgated by LOCOG throughout the bid process, but given the focus on young people I was expecting a flood of initiatives to enhance the physical activity and health of young people through exercise and sport: I was wrong. The dichotomy of thinking on the topic of legacy will be demonstrated at the ICSEMIS Congress in Glasgow, 19-23 July, with a keynote presentation from the IOC on the ‘Health Legacy of the Olympic Games’ juxtaposed to a number of symposia reporting the abject failure of the Olympic movement to deliver legacy: light the blue touch paper and stand back! In concluding this rant let me share a recent headline that provides the perfect definition to the all too often misused word; ‘irony’: ‘London 2012 Olympics: Legacy Chief Baroness Ford to retire after Games.’ (www.telegraph.co.uk/ sport/olympics/9068934). words: Prof Greg Whyte FBASES Prof Greg Whyte FBASES is Professor of Applied Sport and Exercise Science at Liverpool John Moores University. As an Olympian, former Chair of the BOA athletes’ commission and Director of Research at the Olympic Medical Centre, Greg has a close affinity with the ideals and responsibilities of the Olympic movement. 8 The Sport and Exercise Scientist n Issue 31 n Spring 2012 n www.bases.org.uk
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Page 1 and 2: The Sport and Exercise Scientist Th
Page 3 and 4: Contents On the Cover 6 The interdi
Page 5 and 6: Russ Coppack MBE and Prof Celia Bra
Page 7: Additional input Psychological inpu
Page 11 and 12: Table 1. Cardiorespiratory fitness
Page 13 and 14: The dynamometer moment can also be
Page 15 and 16: Left: Eero Mantyranta, multiple Oly
Page 17 and 18: finding that girls’ BMI did not c
Page 19 and 20: POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMMES IN SPORT AN
Page 21 and 22: Fast track your sports science rese
Page 23 and 24: televised elite sport is a totally
Page 25 and 26: Nanette’s notes Prof Nanette Mutr
Page 27 and 28: HK REWARDS Great News! Save 35% For
Page 29 and 30: Accidents Accidents are common in m
Page 31 and 32: Final word with Prof Ian G. Campbel

Issue 31 Spring 2012 - Bases

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