Paula Radcliffe Critical Of Lifetime Bans

The marathon world-record holder thinks the punishment is too severe.

Marathon world-record holder Paula Radcliffe has changed her stance on lifetime bans for athletes guilty of doping.

She now says it unfairly penalizes her fellow runners such as sprinter Dwain Chambers.

Britain is the only country with such a severe penalty for doping.

“I actually supported the rule that if you had a drugs ban you shouldn’t be allowed to compete in the Olympics — it should be a life ban,” she said. “But at the moment it’s unfair because Dwain [Chambers] is the only one who is really being penalized for it. … It has to be a rule that’s fair across the board … it isn’t fair to penalize Dwain.”

Eight years ago, Chambers tested positive for THG. He was the first athlete who was connected with BALCO drug scandal.

“He is one of the few who stuck his hands up and said ‘I did cheat and I’m sorry,’ and admitted it,” Radcliffe commented.

Radcliffe was speaking at the opening of a Nike store in London. She recently returned from Monaco where she petitioned IAAF president Lamine Diack to not change the ruling on women’s world records.

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