Running Into Trouble
‘FOR Rio Ferdinand, read Kostas Kenteris.
|
| ‘I was having my legs waxed’ |
With only four years to prepare to defend the 200m Olympic title he won in Sydney, the Greek sprinter was caught out.
As the Telegraph reports, poor old Kenteris managed to get in a pickle over dates and timings and missed his drugs test.
But not everybody is as sympathetic as us bleeding hearts at Anorak Towers. Take one official on the International Olympic Committee.
It seems Kenteris didnt turn up for a test, which, to me, is absolutely stupid, says the unnamed IOC rep. If he didnt turn up, hes a fool and he deserves to be out.
But, as is the way with these things, whatever the clarity of the rule a missed test is treated a positive one resulting in a ban for the athlete the accused has the chance to plead for clemency.
So today Kenteris – and fellow Greek athlete Katerina Thanou, who trains with Kenteris and also unluckily missed her test – will have the chance to explain that they were out shopping/ their mobile phones was turned off/ they had temporary amnesia/ everyones out to get them/ aliens abducted them.
In short, to say anything other than its a fair cop.
Its a sad story – but not nearly as sad as many Liverpool fans will find the news on the back page of the Express.
News is that Michael Owen, darling of the Kop, is on his way to Real Madrid.
I HAVE TO GO, says the Suns headline above a story of how the player has been forced out of Anfield.
Even if the Madrid move falls though, he feels it will be almost impossible for him to stay at Anfield, says someone billed as Owens friend.
It would require Liverpool to do a complete U-turn and try and convince him to stay for the situation to change.
And a change of heart is not beyond the bounds of what counts for reason in football, as the Express reports that Patrick Vieira is now staying at Highbury.
The story goes that at the eleventh hour – in a saga full of eleventh hours – Arsenal demanded more money for their captain than Real were prepared to offer.
The Arsenal board also did what they said they would not do and offered their No.4 an improved deal.
Which means a two-year extension to the Frenchmans current contract at the London club and the guarantee that he will be paid the same as the teams top earner, present or future.
Which should see Vieira stay – until Madrid come in for him next summer – and Arsenal start paying all their players £20 a week.’
Posted: 13th, August 2004 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
