Drugs in sport

John Richardson writes: Re. “Bombshell sports probe: drugs & corruption to ‘disgust’ fans” (yesterday). In declaring an “end to sport as we know it”, the only thing that the well-rehearsed duo of Justice Minister Jason Clare and Sports Minister Kate Lundy didn’t suggest in their melodramatic press conference was the possibility that the alleged illegal drug doping and organised crime links to Australian sport may be connected to the current ICAC investigations.

Given today’s revelations, suggesting that former NSW Labor Minister Ian McDonald may have received illegal payments in connection with his past responsibilities for car racing in NSW, surely anything is possible?

And still another 218 sleeps to go!

Denise Marcos writes: Only the chronically naive would be shocked by the extent of drug use and match fixing by the sporting fraternity. The revelations should give pause for thought about the disproportionate emphasis our culture places on venerating brawn rather than brains.

When scientists, academics, innovators and the socially dedicated become recognised household names our nation will have matured.

Matt Davis writes: Re. “How Crikey bought banned peptides online in 30 seconds” (yesterday). Thirty seconds, new world record! Yeeeeeeeehhhhhhh! Crikey! You bloody bewdy! … what are you on?

MONA

Roy Ramage writes: Re. “An inadvertent icon: the making of MONA” (yesterday). As an expatriate Tasmanian, who also spent some of his youth in old Hobart town it was delightful to read of a fellow Tasmanian’s background and success.

Usually Tasmanian news is about another forestry failure or grim details of the continuing vanilla brand of state governments adding to their ongoing record of mismanagement. The island has a resilient population with many pockets of innovation. History will record that MONA and David Walsh were glittering lights in an era of opaque ineptitude.