Madam, - Coming towards the end of another Olympics at which many Irish participants are considered to have under-performed, there will, no doubt, be the usual outcry at our lack of success. However, it should be no surprise that a small country that devotes so much of its time and resources in pursuit of national sports will have limited success on the international stage. Until such time as young athletes can be lured away from the attractions of their local GAA club, the situation is unlikely to change. - Yours, etc,
SEÁN McDONALD, Harolds Cross Road, Dublin.
Madam, - Every four years around this time, we hear loud public criticism and much hand wringing with regard to Irish performances in the Olympic games. Mediocrity is a word being banded about a lot. It is with growing anger at this that I put pen to paper. Many of our athletes, while they haven't won medals (notwithstanding the superb performances of our treble medal winning boxing team), have achieved world class performances.
It is true that two of our more high profile track athletes have not lived up to their own high standards but several of their colleagues on the track have produced top 10 finishes. Our swimmers have broken national records and our canoeist finished fourth. Just getting to an Olympic games is an achievement and given our nation's size and the investment in sport in this country we will never achieve more than a handful of medals. So please less rush to criticise and more acknowledgement of just what it actually takes to reach an Olympic games. — Yours, etc,
DECLAN O'NEILL, Killiney, Co Dublin.
Madam, - I am truly shocked by the revelations of horse doping from Beijing. Not so much the disgrace on the international front as the inhuman treatment of animals in the name of sport.
Listening to Avril Doyle on the Six-One News attempt to make excuses for Denis Lynch's use of this banned substance was galling - no thought for the unfortunate Irish horses who are regularly abused by the system of wraps.
She must have been aware that this particular substance has always been banned.
It is only in recent months that doping authorities in Hong Kong were able to detect the presence of this banned substance in horses.
As things now stand, the entire equine industry in Ireland has been exposed as lacking any semblance of decency and responsible behaviour.
The facade of a gentle, mainly rural and middle class pursuit has been exposed as a complete sham. - Yours, etc,
NIALL GINTY, Killester, Dublin.
Madam, - A simple Google search of the words "Equiblock" and "Ingredients" throws up interesting results. The first four results deal with the current controversy.
The fifth is a website selling Equiblock which assures me that it will "absolutely not test positive" and contains, surprise surprise, Capsicin (sic). - Yours, etc,
SEÁNAÍ CONLAN, North Strand, Dublin 3.
