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The World Championships of a totally unpredictable nature



Stephen Hornsby-Smith

This week has seen fantastic World Championships of a totally unpredictable nature. The two athletes who have a symbiotic relationship with the Sport of Athletics and are the stars of the show, didn't hit the heights that we are used to from them. But they delivered in so many other ways, and Sir Mohamed Farah was a class act even as the exhausted gold and silver medalist trying to fend off spiteful questions from the resentful pack of mediocre hounds of the bastardville media. The man is a hero on every level, and his frustration was 'our' (the general public) frustration when the media begrudgingly had exposed itself as poisonous and in need of a degree of self-honesty. Mo didn't set out in the press conference to cause controversy, the media handled that and then side stepped that.

If a journalist does not apologise for unsubstantive allegations or rumour-mungering and obsesses about people who have to cope with others who are cheating in their own profession then, they need a ban from reporting any event, just like Gattlin. They should serve a 2 year ban too.Mo has only said that proven cheats should pay, but get off his back when him and other fellow professionals continue to be harassed, stalked and tortured whilst his integrity is being unjustifiably called into question. There should also be yellow and red cards issued by the IAAF on the spot if this destructive bunch of lepers continue. Let them be punished too.

If Athletics is the ultimate handing on the baton to the next generation, then we should hand on the baton of good reporting, and reward those who clean-up the sport of Journalism too.

The last time Brendon Foster will commentate on Athletics, should be an opportunity for others to follow in his wake. The BEEB would be in safe hands if Mo Farah joined the team. The fans he already has would make his way of thinking highly desirable a player for domestic and international commentary. He has been the picture boy of British athletics and he would soon become the voice of the BEEB as well. He is Mr graft compared with Mr perfect specimen for Sprinting that is Usain Bolt. Gattlin gunned down our Eros but it made us grateful for Bolts legendary and irrepressable genius over so many years. But Mo Farah was Mr sacrifice, turning his world upside down to get the best advice, the best supporting team and give him a chance to run like the wind. I'm sure Mo will take on those young guns when they are all in their dottage and beat them hands down. But that is Mr 110per cent, yet he isn't aware of his influence in which he disarmed people with his warm and loyal nature. He might have proved he was the best in history by not bragging about it.

Farah and Bolt are our era defining sportsmen, and we are all very grateful and that shouldn't be the firing pistol to decry their achievements after their athletics careers are over.


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