Sporting overload

It is that time of year when we are bombarded with sport, there is almost too much on offer. I am struggling to choose which sports to prioritise and that is just the participating, right now we are being spoilt for choice as spectators too.

Even those uninterested in sport cannot have missed the build up and start of the football European Championships, sadly though some of that is probably due to the wrong reasons. We have heard far more in the press around the violence off the pitch than we have of England’s efforts on it. This has also detracted our attention from a different yet extremely significant England result - the rugby in Australia. The England rugby team secured a pleasantly surprising victory over the Wallabies in the first test, on the same day the football players only managed a draw in their European opener.

I have hardly had chance to keep up with England’s efforts both in France and Australia as I am spending as much time as possible riding both horses and bicycles. I have two events looming ever closer at a rate of knots that do not allow for the desired training. With just over two weeks until my triathlon miles on the bike are my main focus, so much so that for some absurd reason I agreed to enter a cycling time trial. I thought fifty miles best effort would be perfect training however that was before I realised it was A – on the A38, B – at 5.30 on a Sunday morning and C – full of professionals with all the gear. I did stick to my original reasoning and battled it out on my own with countless riders flying past me, it must be valuable miles in the bank even with my lack of speed. My other challenge is far more imminent and daunting, in just a few day’s time I will be playing in my first ever polo match in front of thousands of spectators at the Gloucester Festival of polo.

Little faith

The rumours are now turning into names and facts as the results of retested blood and urine samples from the Beijing and London Olympics are published. The number of positive tests that are coming out is quite honestly shocking and in some cases they are almost eight years too late. All of these samples were originally tested but it would appear that the athletes and their doctors were years ahead of the developed tests. 

It is easy to shrug these results off as a step forward and celebrate the new drug free medallists, who are in some cases British athletes. To know that justice has been done and the rightful winners have been awarded their titles comes as refreshing news. Underneath the surface it is not so rosy, I cannot imagine how it must feel to know you were cheated out of that moment of glory and elation; no amount of recognition or delayed celebration can compensate for those missed moments.  

What does this mean for sport as a whole? Surely this will affect all athletes and spectators during the upcoming Rio Olympics. Will we have to wait another eight years to discover the truth? Athletes and international federations have to attempt to restore our faith in top level sport. It does feel that as soon as any sport begins to look clean another drug or corruption story is uncovered. 

One advantage that a smaller sport, such as Modern Pentathlon, has over the large money making federations such as athletics is the reduced incentive to cheat. That brings us on to another question, what is cheating? Until a conversation at the recent World Championships I had not realised the scale of Meldonium use in my sport. It was only added to the banned list this year so some athletes were using the drug legally until January 2016, completely within the rules. What message does this send out to young athletes? The difference between cheating and competing clean isn't necessarily as clear cut as perhaps it should be.

All the finals

It was a frustrating week for me as an Exeter Chiefs rugby fan. The day after that historic victory in the Premiership semi-final I was on a plane to Moscow for work - still buzzing for days I could not find anyone to share my delight with. Russia is not known for rugby union and my European colleagues are solely interested in football. As I expressed my excitement for Saturday’s final I was met with blank expressions when I referred to the Aviva Premiership final match; apparently there was an important event known as the Champions League on the same day. To add to my frustrations the timings did not compliment my working schedule and I went on air minutes before the kick off at Twickenham. It was no surprise to hear that the consistently impressive Saracens came out as champions although this should not detract from Exeter’s fantastic performance this season.

We are now just over two months away from the start of the Olympic Games in Brazil and as usual the press are focusing on the challenges the host nation are experiencing. I cannot remember a build up to an Olympics that has not had some degree of doubt or negative stories in the months building up to the event.

The latest worry for host country has been the continued spread of the mosquito born virus Zika that has raised concern yet again following a letter signed by one hundred medical professionals from around the world. I found myself being requested for four separate interviews by the British press after this latest flare up. Having visited Brazil earlier this year and working closely with athletes I have seemingly become a spokesperson on the subject. The questions and answers remain the same whilst the journalists desperately attempt to write new headlines. Unless there is a significant change in the health risk the staging of this summer’s sporting spectacle is going ahead. Suggestions of cancelling or postponing an event of this scale are incomprehensible for athletes, organisers and supporters.

Home advantage

If you can cast your mind back two weeks I mentioned monopolising the home advantage - Exeter Chiefs certainly did just that. What a performance by the Devon rugby side in the Premiership semi final last Saturday and that hard fought victory has earned them a thoroughly deserved place in the final at Twickenham. After trying every lead I eventually got my hands on a pair of tickets for that sell out game against Wasps, the speed in which the tickets went just proves the level of support Chiefs now have behind them.

I am usually a fair weather girl. I would not choose to do sport in light drizzle let alone stand and watch eighty minutes of sport with torrential rain lashing at my face but last week was an exception. My friend and I hardly noticed the weather as the excitement of such a close and vitally important match kept us in suspense until the seventy ninth minute. I am sure the challenging conditions of a muddy pitch, slippery wet ball and a typically strong crosswind all added to the home advantage but it was the sheer determination from both the supporters and players that secured victory. The game was still either teams to win until the final few minutes and the suspense was almost unbearable.

So after just six years in Premiership Rugby Exeter Chiefs are off to the final at Twickenham this weekend coming. Frustratingly I will have to support from afar as work has taken me east to Russia for the Pentathlon World Championships. Chiefs are not the only Westcountry team hoping for a perfect end to their season in the capital over the bank holiday weekend as Plymouth Argyle have made it to the play off final where a victory will move them up a league. Devon sport is certainly doing something right, I just hope we can have one more golden weekend.

Free speech

As a student and athlete I often found myself in hot water for airing my opinions. Frustratingly it might have come across to some teachers or coaches as disruptive or uncooperative behaviour, in my mind I was playing it safe. I felt it was always better to ask the questions and to remain as open as possible. Since retiring from professional sport I have enjoyed the relative freedom of speech and committed to aiding other athletes who face such challenges.

It was refreshing to hear Jess Varnish, the British cyclist, speak out about the alleged discrimination and sexism in her sport - it would have been a difficult decision to make. I was, however, disappointed when her detractors suggested she would not have voiced her opinions had she not been dropped from the team. Of course she did not as that would have jeopardised her relationship with the successful medal-winning set up at British Cycling. For those in receipt of UKSport funding there are no other options - an athlete cannot decide to train and compete with another team.

It is not just in sport that one’s opinions and the opportunity to voice them are restricted. The Prime Minister and Queen have recently been under scrutiny by the world media and public for speaking their thoughts. The press relished the snippets of conversation recorded in which David Cameron was heard commenting on the level of corruption in some countries. They were instantly looking for reactions from those mentioned yet were met with an unexpected result. The Afghan President’s reaction was to agree with the Prime Minister and state he had no issue with hearing such allegations. The Chinese have also denied any offence arising from the Queen’s comments regarding their latest state visit.

It is not only refreshing to hear a few honest thoughts and comments coming from those with a powerful voice but also reassuring to know that honesty can be appreciated by others.