dugongs

The reactions in the home country to these two athletes highlights some of the attitudes and how different two countries can be.

In Oz, Robbins has been mostly demonised widely by the public and media.

In UK, Radcliffe has been mostly demonised by the public but the media are divided and often sympathetic.

This is PC Britain vs Win at All Cost Australia. Both equally unappealing.

Badge

Nice one. (Thought this was a Kong post for a second!)

I have seen some sympathy in the Aussie media to Robbins. You could argue that Robbins attracts 'stick ' as arguably - and noone can really know - she 'gave up' and noone else did..Paula Radcliffe was an individual who has no past form for underachieving..so should get more sympathy from any press..

sydneybrit

http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/conte...4/s1183326.htm Broadcast: 23/08/2004
Robbins faces abuse after Australian rowing defeat
Sally Robbins has been called un-Australian and a quitter in the press and accused of "complete mental weakness" by one rowing great.



But the response from the public has mostly been sympathetic.

the report goes on to say-

an email is being circulated to the media from former rowing Olympian Rachael Taylor.

She says Sally Robbins also stopped rowing at the 2002 World Championships.

She says: "I have never, ever seen anyone at an elite level stop rowing except for Sally Robbins, twice, under extreme pressure and in extreme pain, both times costing her crewmates medals at the highest level.... There is no doubt in my mind that Sally Robbins quitting on Sunday was a repeat display of complete mental weakness, not physical exhaustion as the media is reporting."

baldbutts

As long as neither were looking for a long term relationship,or expected a genuine name and phone number,I'd have both--at the same time n'all if they want.

BB-still around-occasionally

bondipom

I watched some of the team press conference. All blondes but I don't think all the collars matched the cuffs.

podgypossum

All this nastiness towards either of them makes me sick quite frankly.

Had they pulled a hamstring or something, no one would have batted an eyelid, but because whatever happened, happened inside the brain, they are lynched!!!... do they honestly think that either of these people deliberately went out there to do this?... after all their exhaustive training, focus and effort, they just thought "ah sod it, cant be bothered"? ... yeah right... another case of "cant see it or stick a band aid on so it dont exist" ...i actually feel very sorry for the both of them.
And all those armchair experts who have probably never come close to acheiving anything near what these people have done, think they have the right to sit in judgement?

TW*TS

tinaj

I think the main difference is the fact that Sally Robbins has let down another 7 athletes so has been attacked to death by them (initially).
Paula Radcliffe just let herself down so no-one can really slate her too much. After all if you run by yourself you have no-one else to blame if you can't go on!

The rowers in Robbin's team were awful initially to her. After they were probably spoken to by the Aussie team promoters, they changed their tunes a bit and their press release was noticably false.

bondipom

I sense a split 50/50 (anecdotal evidence) in the nation. Half reckon she is a loser and half feel sorry for her. All have an opinion on her.