Category: Debate

BY OTHER MEANS

January 14th, 2021 by Pat

Edward Snowden and Dr Grigory Rodchenkov are whistle-blowers whose revelations were so explosive that they have become political refugees from their homeland, the USA and Russia respectively. Snowden was the internet tech wiz, working for the CIA and NSA (National Security Agency), who became increasingly alarmed at the degree of invasion of citizen privacy […]

CROSS PURPOSES

August 4th, 2020 by Pat

Two years after Paavo Nurmi won what would turn out to be the last cross country race (so far) at the Olympic Games, in Paris 1924, the Inter-Counties cross country championship was born, in Beaconsfield, west of London. During close to a century, the ‘inter-counties’ graduated to being second only to the English ‘national’ […]

TOO BIG TO EXCLUDE?

September 24th, 2018 by Pat

The potential Olympic reinstatement of Russia by the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) from a suspension occasioned by the revelation of wholesale doping at the Sochi Olympics coincides uncomfortably with the 30th anniversary of the busting of Ben Johnson following the Olympic men’s 100 metres in Seoul. State sponsored doping meets free market enterprise doping, […]

SAVE THE OLYMPIASTADION!

June 8th, 2017 by Pat

Remember Berlino? Of course you do; the Bear was the star of the show at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, even outshining his young pal, Jumpin’ Jack Flash from Jamaica (see below). Well, Berlino is in big trouble. His natural habitat is in grave danger! The iconic Olympiastadion in Berlin is under threat […]

GIVE US THE STORY!

April 2nd, 2017 by Pat

It is a measure of how much long distance running has jogged its way into public consciousness over recent decades that the BBC Radio 4 national news on Saturday morning culminated – admittedly in a spot reserved for amusing items – with news that the organisers of the south coast of England race, the Brighton […]

IS TIRUNESH THE MOST BORING RUNNER IN HISTORY?

September 1st, 2008 by Pat

Not necessarily, but I would hate to watch the run-off to decide, between her and her cousin Derartu. Having suffered the mind-numbing experience of watching a woman who can run 14min 11sec for 5000 metres, dawdle through a fifteen and a half minute race against women she knows she can beat, without once taking the […]