The two pages allocated to coverage of the first full day’s events in the Winter Olympics were tainted by an inexplicable pillorying of the Norwegian winner of the women’s 7.5km+7.5km skiathlon, Therese Johaug (“Tainted start as first gold of Games is won by banned doper Johaug”, Sport). Rightly suspended for 18 months for a positive drugs test and missing out on the 2018 Olympics, this amazing athlete has served her time and she won the event in magnificent style.
How did her victory taint the start of the Games? Is there a presupposition of recidivism in respect of an athlete who has broken the rules or do we, as an enlightened society, wipe the sheet clean after a fresh start? Her prowess was certainly acknowledged in the report but I have never fully understood the meaning of “damning with faint praise”. Now I do.
David Parton
Seaford, East Sussex
