WagerOnSports.com Releases Odds on ‘Dopey’ Olympians
Online sportsbook speculates on the nationality of the first athlete to fail dope test
Wednesday 11th August 2004
In line with their reputation for relishing an unconventional wager or two, the people at BetOnSports.com have been speculating on the nationality of the first athlete to fail a drugs test. China is the current favourite at 5/1 odds, followed closely by Russia at 8/1. Odds maker, Michael Perry, explained why. 'It would not be a shock to see an athlete from China or Russia being the first to fail a drug test in Athens since both countries have had incidents of doping in past Olympic games.'
'In the past it would have surprised people to see the odds on an American athlete being the first caught doping at the Olympic Games being better than Eastern European countries like Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Belarus. But with a handful of athletes implicated in the BALCO scandal and under investigation by USADA, it wouldn't be an upset if a Team U.S.A. member took the 'gold' in this event.'
WagerOnSports.com has listed the United States at 15/1 along with Australia, Germany and South Korea, with France, Italy, Cuba and Ukraine all at 18/1.
