page revision date : 30th November 2009
Agassi has bent my faith in sport but . . .
When news broke that Andre Agassi had taken the awful drug crystal meths and lied his way out of trouble it had me reeling in sporting terms because he would easily have fitted in to my top ten sportsmen because of the way that he played the game.
What Agassi lacked in physical size he more than made up for in high skill levels, an indomitable spirit and sense of humour that marked him out for me as a genius of tennis – and I always thought that he was a great role model for aspiring young tennis players, as well as someone whose attitude was admirable in any walk of life. Now it seems that he has admitted his ‘crime’ in his autobiography and tarnished not only his grand slam successes but anything else he has done.
Underlying motive
Has he confessed to clear his conscience or simply to sell his book? That is a question that only he can answer but I suspect it is the latter – but I wouldn’t give his writing house-room because it will add to his considerable fortune, unless he is donating the whole profit to charity.
The only thing to be said in his favour is that crystal meths is hardly likely to be performance- enhancing but if, as he writes, it helped get him out of self-torment then I suppose it could be argued that it did help him get back to being a top player. The lying would be a lot harder to justify, however!
Last month my colleague Mark Vincent put forward some interesting views on cheating in sport and highlighted the way that sport seems to be a ‘win at all costs’ culture, although he did say that snooker players are likely to call their own fouls – and I would add golf as another sport where cheating is so frowned upon that there are few examples of sporting misbehaviour.
My list of stars
Perhaps that is why I would include Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Seve Ballesteros in my list of all-time sporting greats, along with Mohammed Ali, John Charles, Barry John, JPR Williams, Gareth Edwards and Lance Armstrong, who has managed to keep clear of the drug scandals in his sport, although not without rumour – so let’s hope that another of my ‘legends’ doesn’t bite the dust!
Having had my faith bent, however, I can take ample consolation from the local sporting scene, where competitors of all ages and abilities give total commitment without ever receiving any cash, other than the privileged few who reach the top in rugby and football.
Special locals
Look in the local press or on our web-site each week and you will see sporting endeavour to warm the cockles of your heart. The Pembrokeshire Special Needs Gymnastics Club sticks out as a beacon light for endeavour from participants and coaches, with Richard Young doing brilliantly as a swimmer with special needs and loads of others doing well with the Tenderfoot Club in a whole range of sporting activities.
Then there are talented youngsters like Lauren Bell (athletics) and Jordan Hart (badminton), who have total support from their families as their pursue a road to the top, whilst at the other end of the scale you have old timers like the Pembrokeshire Over 45 football team winning a national competition with a team literally jam-packed full of vets who simply play for the pleasure of being involved.
There are coaches like Peter Freeman and Huw Morgan in athletics, Ray Kane in cricket, Stuart Lewis and Robin Davies in rugby, Ralph Gammer and Graham Brockway in boxing, all eager to be involved and using up a great deal of their spare time from work. Then there are Trevor Morgan, Angie Nicholls and Carrie Slack in football, plus many referees and umpires who give up their time for a pittance in expenses but ensure that games are played.
So whenever I see an article about Agassi or the other cheats I shall just think about the local ‘stars’ who make our county’s sport what it is – and if Andre’s book is bought as a misguided Christmas present I shall simply smile and put it in the fire!
** Do you have a ‘Top Ten Sporting Giants’ you would like to share with us? It can be at national, international or local level – let us know who you have picked, and why, and we will give them an airing in this column.**
| 
