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So Dwain Chambers has lost his attempt to overturn his Olympics ban. Almost certainly the right decision given every other runner he’s competing against for a place has a clean record. His transgressions in the past sully the image and reputation of these fine runners.

I recall hearing somewhere that we’re the one of only a very few countries to ban convicted drug users from the Olympics, so in the context of the world of sport, there’s a discrepency with other countries that may be cause for appeal. But - and it’s a very big but - at the same time the deliberate and intentional use of performance enhancing drugs so fundamentally undermines so much of what sport, and in particular Olympic sport is about, a lifetime ban on Olympic participation still strikes me as fair. So rather than us overturning the rule, it’s perhaps other countries who should be reassessing what message they’re sending out by not being as harsh as the UK on such ‘athletes’.

Chambers had lost a huge amount of support amongst the public (his recent qualifying win had a muted response, and even a few boo’s), and even more so, I’d imagine, with many of his fellow runners (At least, those who chose to say anything). His abuse of drugs led to his team mates losing their gold in a 4×100m relay. Shameful stuff to try and enhance your own chance of winning, but even worse to participate in a team event and ruin their efforts. Whilst he’s perhaps to be commended with some of his efforts to help authorities tackle drug abuse, it’s far too little, far too late.

The Olympics strives to set a gold standard for sporting excellence and pushing human achievement and endeavour. So, the right decision today, and the right message being sent out to any other athlete who finds themselves presented with the option. Making the wrong choice will have serious consequences later in life. It really is about taking part, and fairly, and pushing as hard as you can. For me, at least, it’s the journey that’s important, not the destination. Chambers might do well to recognise that himself.

The news this week about the Olympic torch relay has left me feeling a bit despondent, on a number of fronts.

I think it’s a shame that the Olympics continues to be dominated by politics. It feels such a throwback to the 1980’s, and the east vs west boycotts. We’ll have steroid fuelled up eastern European ‘athletes’ and dodgy haircuts next. Perhaps I’m being naive, but I honestly thought the spirit of the Olympics was to celebrate human achievement, and leave politics aside. The Sydney and Athens Olympics look like being the high-point. It’s downhill from here…

The majority of Free Tibet protesters were peaceful, but a few took things a step further than necessary, and lead to scuffles and violence. It’s focused attention on the subject, certainly, but not in a good way for the campaigners. AFP reports the Dalai Lama even supports the Chinese Olympics, and he’s the cause celeb of Tibet.

Of course, the Chinese don’t come out of this well at all (even leaving aside their invasion of Tibet). The Chinese backed governor of Tibet said, on the forthcoming Tibet section of the relay,that “If… anyone should attempt to disrupt or undermine the torch relay, they will be dealt with severely according to law“, and a few other ominous words. Nice touch. The blue-coated escorts (or “smurfs” I gather the Metropolitan police referred to them as) just look a bit too serious and humour-free. Ominous looking guys.

And where’s Darfur in all of this? Spielberg’s decision to resign, drew attention to China not putting any pressure on Sudan over the crises in Darfur. It’s all been blown aside by the Tibet campaigners.

But it’s the Olympic spirit that is starting to suffer. If we’re back to politics as a central force in Olympics, I can’t help wonder what this means for London 2012 (although what campaigns we can expect, I’ll save for another day), but more importantly the future of the Olympic movement: Countries won’t bid if they attract criticism not support.

The complete and utter non-story that was Gordon Brown not attending the Olympic opening has thankfully disappeared from the BBC front page (and talks more of media-led group-think/panic than anything vaguely serious or important, other than perhaps Brown’s media team being hopeless), but talk of such boycotts really just undermines any hope I have that athletics and human achievement will be the focus of the Olympics.

Politics is important, and it’s important to pressure China, but at the same time it can’t let become the dominant theme of the Olympics. It’s against the ideals and goals, and undermines everybody involved. Dialogue with China is important, and if this goes on I fear we may be pushing this country away at a key moment in its recent history.