Australians' attitude comes up short in sportsmanship stakes
One abiding question remained long after Sri Lanka garnered the winning runs in last week's World Cup cricket final - why, oh why, was Australian spinner Shane Warne wearing sun block? He had it splattered, war-paint like, over his face during his less-than-effective bowling spells, seemingly unaware that it was a day-night match and the sun had long since been tucked up in bed. It's been suggested that he smeared the cream not as defence against the sun but as part of a psychological attack on the batsmen. Indeed, this notion that the lotion was Shane's way of issuing a warning was given credence when he started to stare down Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga, who had reportedly told the media that the Aussie's effectiveness with the ball was a lot of hype. Well, Warne's evil eye approach had as much impact as the war-paint look, with the Sri Lankan batsmen hitting him for 58 from 10 overs.
It's laughable for a spin bowler to try and intimidate with a long, mean gaze. Curtly Ambrose can do it, yes, as can the other speed merchants on the world scene, but someone with as slow a delivery as Warne, come off it, mate. Warne's attitude summed up the swaggering arrogance of Australian sportsmen, as a breed.
They seem to think they have a God-given right to win just by showing up and if they don't the opposition must either be lucky or cheating. While Australian cricket captain Mark Taylor did not display any of these traits after the loss to Sri Lanka, his admirable acceptance of defeat was the exception rather than the norm. Relations between the two teams were strained to breaking point during Sri Lanka's tour of Australia earlier this year when accusations of ball-tampering and 'throwing' by spinner Muttiah Muralitharan flew thick and fast.
Australian swimmers also have a tendency to shoot off their mouths when keeping mum might be the sporting way to go. It was Susan O'Neill's turn last week to do the Aussie thing and criticise her opponents. The bronze medallist in the 100 and 200 metres butterfly at the 1994 World Championships in Rome said that she would be 'very surprised if they (Chinese) will be clean (at the Atlanta Olympics)'.
She used the stage of the Australian Sports Drug Agency's 'Beat the Cheats' launch to air her views and the irony of her choice seemed to sail over her head. Fellow swimmer Samantha Riley, let off with a warning after a positive drug test in December, was due to launch the campaign but, displaying more nous than O'Neill, allowed Olympian Kieren Perkins to deliver the keynote speech.
Australian swimmers seem to forget that their own country's sportsmen, most notably weightlifters and track cyclists, have an unenviable record of drug-taking and that while it's undeniable that 19 Chinese swimmers were nabbed for using banned substances the degree of intent on their behalf can never be measured.