Hopes of Olympic gold dashed: Sarah Storey announces British Cycling have dropped her from team pursuit squad

I have to disagree with 1961BikiE it is about time that an athlete can compete in both competitions. How many of you realise that when Steve Redgrave won his last Gold medal he was diabetic? (He was diagnosed in 1997). So he could potentially have competed in both competitions.

There is probably a perception that the paralympic athletes are not as fit as olympic athletes, a perception that would be destroyed by the first athlete to compete in both.

I am disappointed that Sarah Storey has not made the team. I hope that her place has genuinely gone to a better athlete and that this decision wasn't made to avoid the appearance of "positive discrimination".

I would like to think that the paralympics would make people realise that disabled people have a lot to give to society and particularly in the workplace. I would also like to think that being dismissed "because you would not fit in" would be a thing of the past (this was given as a reason at tribunal for dismissing me from a supposedly diverse employer).

However my suspicion is that these events will get much less TV coverage.

Finally, competing as a novice when you clearly aren't is just dishonest. Nothing surprises me any more...

' guess if I met Sarah or saw her interviewed I might think she was quite nice. But I have to say competing in the Olympics and Paralympics (or aiming to) is IMHO nothing short or greed for glory.'
Sarah was guest of honour at our club presentation night, Bolton clarion cycling club, a small but enthusiastic club, had you been there I swear you would have been charmed off your feet. Attending and enjoying our humble event can hardly be described as hunting for 'greed and glory' Along with Barney, her husband, she fully engaged all present affording us the best presentation night we have ever had in our one hundred and fifteen year history.

I hate to be a miserable git about this,it isn't something I aspire to.

It must be totally galling to help a team to win and then be dropped from the final team selection, this I understand and sympathise.

What I am unhappy about, and have said so before, is athletes competing in both able bodied and disable bodied sports and events. In my book if your disability is such that you can compete on a comparable level to an able bodied athlete, then that is where you should compete. If you can't compete at that level but can at disabled level then that is where you should be competing.

I guess if I met Sarah or saw her interviewed I might think she was quite nice. But I have to say competing in the Olympics and Paralympics (or aiming to) is IMHO nothing short or greed for glory. This isn't aimed at Sarah, just a responce to this story I'm pretty sure that there are many others the world over who are trying to do the same thing. The IOC are culpable in this. There should be a very simple rule. If you intend to compete as an able bodied athlete in any event you are automatically excluded from disabled competion whether the same event or not.

In my book it's up there with a certain English road cyclist who was on a british team who competed in the 87 Tour De France. After his professional career had been over he competed in the first 24hr MTB race, not only as an amatuer, which is reasonable, but I believe in the Novice category. He won, surprised or what. The satisfaction must have been uplifting.