These are the best of times for Irish sport. Michelle Smith's achievement in winning three Olympic titles means that she now ranks alongside multiple medal winners like Carl Lewis, Jesse Owens, Fanny Blankers Koen, Mark Spitz and Kristin Otto as one of the legendary figures in sport. In one glittering week, she has become the most successful Irish Olympian of all time and a world sporting superstar. She has also, in the words used by the President, Mrs Robinson, "lifted the spirits" of the nation. And it may be that the glory trail has still to end; Michelle Smith has every prospect of gold in the 200 metres butterfly early tomorrow.
But Michelle Smith is not just a sporting sensation. The cool, gracious manner in which she dealt with the drug taking allegations showed remarkable maturity and strength of character. There is also a very strong sense that Michelle Smith is someone who is immensely proud of her country and her background. There can hardly be an Irish person both at home or among the diaspora who did not experience pride when she spoke with such fluency as Gaeilge during the various press conferences.
The drug taking allegations, by the US swimmer, Janet Evans, and in some sections of the international media have, not unnaturally, touched a raw nerve in this State; prompting even the US Ambassador, Mrs Jean Kennedy Smith, to disavow them. For many, the welter of innuendo has been seen as little more than an attempt by begrudgers and sore losers to diminish Michelle Smith's remarkable achievements.
The sad reality of the modern Olympics, however, is that excellence in any discipline attracts this kind of allegation. When Sonia O'Sullivan was beaten by the Chinese at the Barcelona Olympics, similar allegations were levelled in the Irish media. It is immensely to the credit of Michelle Smith that she recognises that the airing of these questions is legitimate in the modern sports environment.
That said, it is of course disgraceful that an attempt has been made to smear Michelle Smith without one scintilla of evidence. This not just defies natural justice; it ignores Michelle Smith's outstanding dedication, her outstanding level of personal discipline and, not least, her outstanding natural talent.
It might have been expected that Michelle Smith's achievement would, by now, have led to some declaration by the Government that the disgraceful under funding of sport, across all levels, would be addressed. Instead, a weary public has been subjected to the usual platitudes about sub committees and consultants' reports from Mr Bernard Allen, the junior minister with responsibility for sport. But politicians cannot have it both ways; they cannot trail on the coat tails of our sporting heroes while failing to provide adequate funding for sport.
There is much ground to make up and much work to be done. The people of this State who are so passionate in their love of sport want, not only high class facilities for the elite sportsman or woman, not just an 50 metre Olympic pool to attract the best international competition, but badly needed basic sports facilities across the country. There is also a more pressing need; the need to build the kind of sports infrastructure that can help to divert young people away from drugs and crime.
Mr Allen says that the newly appointed Sports Council, and its promised strategy on sport, will provide the answer. But the current severe underfunding of sport makes this a futile exercise. The solution is to give sport what it so rightly deserves a place at the Cabinet table. Our love of sport is part of what we are. The task of nurturing and funding it should be afforded full ministerial status.
