personA wrote:
Armstronglivs wrote:
If Kenyan running is built in talent, as you suggest, then why do so many feel the apparent need to dope - as the figures show? On the basis of the number of doping busts in Russia - the only country that exceeds Kenya - the same argument might be made as you do about Kenya, that Russian sporting prominence is built on talent. How about talent enhanced by doping - for both countries?
Because in kenya the talent pool is so large people feel they need to dope in order to rise to the top and get out of poverty
This is a dangerous ground. What you are suggesting implies that some of the most talented athletes will dope and that the best will possibly be doped, because that is how to "rise to the top", as you say. It may also imply that lesser talented athletes who dope will be more successful than more talented clean athletes.
Hence, in a nutshell, the Kenyan experience may demonstrate that talent dopes and doping beats talent alone. Both conclusions would likely be true.