MELANIE WHELAN: Sporting Tallents deserve more than kinda Russia ban
FOCUS: For years, Ballarat Olympian Jared Tallent has been an outspoken leader in cleaning up international sporting arenas, walking against drug cheats. Picture: Luka Kauzlaric
ON FACE value a four-year ban on Russia from all major sporting events seems pretty emphatic.
But then you think of Ballarat's Jared Tallent, you take a closer look at the ban and realise this hardly seems fair. More needs to be done to clean up sport on the world stage.
The World Anti-Doping Authority's ruling might be a step in the right direction. It just does not step anywhere near far enough.
WADA has found Russia guilty of manipulating and deleting doping data from its Moscow laboratory. As such, the nation has been banned from competing in events like next year's Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic games and soccer's 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Then come the loop-holes for clean athletes to compete under neutral flags and questions on Russian dignitaries attending major events. But they can compete at the soccer Euros next year - that's considered to be regional not world competition - and similarly Russia can host the 2021 Union of European Football Associations' Champions League final in St Petersburg.
Russia can play qualification matches for the 2022 FIFA World Cup under its national banner and if successful in reaching the tournament, players can take to the field under a neutral flag.
Australian Community Media's Janine Graham likens the whole process to "a bit like saying a drug-addled AFL player could play the regular season but not the finals series".
So now, think of Tallent.
JUSTICE: Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove awards Jared Tallent the Olympic gold medal he rightfully earned four years earlier in London. Picture: The Age
For years, Tallent has become an outspoken voice capturing global attention for cleaning up sport, most specifically in athletics where he had consistently become one of the world's best racewalkers.
His story alone is inspiring: a quiet boy from a potato farm in Newlyn, graduating from Ballarat High School and working his way to be the best in the world, an Australian athletics team captain and fiercely taking on some of the biggest heavy-hitters on one of the most controversial and cloudy sporting issues.
Tallent has been walking against a tide of drug-cheats his whole career.
Promotion to an Olympic gold medal in 2016 for the 50-kilometre race walk he contested four years earlier in London was the tip of the iceberg. Tallent is still collecting medal promotions for other events he has raced in international arenas, including two world championship upgrades to silver in September.
Tallent has been repeatedly robbed of what he has rightfully earned. Tallent has been repeatedly robbed of winning moments on the finish line and podium he will never truly experience. Tallent has been robbed of the accolades that immediately come in the aftermath of being best in the world.
And he had to fight hard to be heard by those responsible for governing our sports.
Now, really think about that ban.
What message do loopholes really send? It is a bit like telling a naughty child they are grounded but can still come out to play for the odd birthday party or time on the iPad because really, a grounding does seem a bit harsh.
This is not just about Russia being caught out. Or just about Tallent. This is a widespread issue in all sporting fields. Too bad for those who are doing the right thing, the Tallents of the world who truly embody what sport is about: putting up your best and playing by the rules.
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