Time for some Honesty in Sport

Man what is going on with the world of sport at the moment???

Formula one appears in a right mess, after the whole Mosley Scandal, then the breakaway furore and with some big names dropping out, the last thing it needed was a race fix scandal!!

Especially when it appears that yes, Nelson Piquet Jr was asked to deliberately crash his car so his teammate Alonso could win the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, hell they are not even contesting the allegations, and both Briatore and Chief Engineer Pat Symonds have simply left the team.

In football the headlines have been dominated by Eduardo and Adebayor, not for scoring goals, but for the formers stupid dive, the latter's ridiculous celebration, and for stamping on Robin Van Persie’s head…all the more incredible because they were former friends at Arsenal….although to be fair I’m an Arsenal fan and sometimes I have been tempted to do that to the Dutchman as he can be so lazy……..so yeah maybe just cut out the celebration ! I mean I know football isn't really known for its integrity, but come on please, don’t be such numpties!!!

There was the ridiculous decision in Boxing the other night which saw Tyson Fury grab the English Heavyweight title after the judges awarded him the fight 98-92, even though in everybody else’s eyes in the arena, and on telly, he had been completely out boxed.

We have the gender confusion of Semenya, the South African Gold medal winner in the 800m at the recent World Championships, which has possibly been the worst handled saga ever, with both the IAAF at fault for making the announcement before the race, and the South African Team can also be held responsible as they should have withdrawn their athlete as soon as she was under suspicion, its not fair to put anyone through what she has been through. Hell, if you believe the South African Sports Minister it could still lead to World War Three if the IAAF try and take back her gold medal!

The worst though was still to come for me, the summers revelations in rugby regarding the Bloodgate saga at Quins, which in any ones eyes is pure and simple cheating…….something that has never really been prevalent in rugby, a game that has reputation for honesty, yes its a brutal sport, but as the saying goes its a Hooligans game played by gentleman. The idea of faking an injury sickens me, as I have seen people sew their own ear back on just to carry on and play the game, hell, even I have played through some stupid injuries (Busted neck, mullered back and broken hand) just so as not to let the side down. Also one of THE biggest things I was taught is never let the opposition see that they have hurt you, as that is half the battle won. Oh and David Lemi of Wasps, what was this celebration all about on Saturday???

All of this has shocked, and upset me, as I LOVE sport. Not the razzmatazz and money that has made it a global marketing force nowadays, but the pure, unadulterated idea of it.  Its a great feeling if you are in a team, that has done all it can and played to the best of its ability even if you don’t win, a feeling that I think a lot of people seem to be forgetting about. That camaraderie is like nothing else, and it exists even at the lowest levels, and I think its wonderful, honestly I don't think there is a better feeling than being in the clubhouse with your teammates after you have all pulled together, put your bodies on the line of reach other and won…….its almost caveman-esque.

The fact that when you go to compete, at what ever sport, at what ever level, it is simply down to you competing against something else, whether that is another athlete, the clock, or simply competing against yourself.

Its a wonderful feeling for me, when on a rugby pitch the action comes towards me, everything seems to go into slow motion and it simply comes down to who wants it more, the guy on the opposition team with the ball, or you in defence. I know this sounds corny, but its true, I have always felt this sheer joy at playing sport, no matter it is, and the buzz you get from setting yourself targets, whether in training and then seeing the effects on the pitch is immense.

Yet all of this seems to be being forgotten now as people have let the money, the media and everything else take over. Sure it has to be a part of sport to survive, but when did sport lose its soul??

I want to make an appeal, to every sportsman and woman out there, no matter what you play, or how good you are, how about we all just try a bit of honesty.

Footballers, don’t dive, its cheating, I don’t care what you say, its the most despicable form of it too, rugby players, only bleed when you have been cut, because lets be honest that happens quite a bit too! Formula One drivers, stay true to your morals and don’t submit to ridiculous team orders and athletes………well try not to be so confused over your gender!

Lets make a stand, lets start it as grassroots level, lets let our children enjoy sport for what it is, and not for what it is becoming and lets all go back to being good honest people!!!

Phew rant over!!!! Now I'm off to take advantage of all you honest, and good sportsmen and woman over the world by cheating my arse off and winning everything!!

Mwahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! What’s that – yes I’m female (at least I have Long hair!), of course I’d love to run in the 800m!!!

Ah well, at least we have the Champions League back now to watch, providing a decent distraction from the cricket one dayers, although to be fair it never ceases to amaze me how the England team comes up with new and improved ways of throwing away games and just generally being rubbish at the middle length form of the game!

Oh and a massive congrats, but also an unlucky to the Birmingham & Solihull Bee’s who just lost out on a massive scalp in only there 2nd game in rugby’s Championship against Bristol the other day, losing out just 40-36…………what a game!! A great advert for what is good about rugby, especially as they had so many injuries they even asked my if I was available……….you knwo your desperate when………!! Seriously though, its going to be a hard season for the boys, but hopefully they can build on this awesome performance and show what honest, decent (well apart from Hunty) rugby players can do!!

Good on ya boys, I’ll be back down training with my Alice Band once my neck is better! Why not watch them against my brothers old club London Welsh this Saturday at Sharman’s Cross Road!