Poll Result - Athletes caught doping - Current 2 year ban

Now these were interesting results; there were four options but the responders chose one of two camps - either to leave things as they are at 2 years or to give an immediate lifetime ban.

The result were: -

Is about right 5 (27%)
Should be less 0 (0%)
Should be 4 years 0 (0%)
Should be life-time ban 13 (72%)

I personally voted for a lifetime ban - it strikes me that if you cheat, whether for fame, fortune and everything that goes with it (to quote Freddie Mercury) then you are a crook and should not be trusted to be honest the next time around.

A politician that does something wrong is barred from taking office again, a lawyer is disbarred etc... and that is the end of it. Nothing is stopping them taking up another career but they are effectively banned from the one where they were found to have crossed a line of professional integrity and honesty.

If anything an athlete caught doping is a much clearer case of black and white - second chances, I don't think so - look at Ben Johnson, he served his two year ban and then came back and was caught doping a second time! Only then did they give him a life ban - need I say more?