Agassi asks for doping 'compassion'
Reuters - Fri, 06 Nov 06:44:00 2009
Andre Agassi, mired in controversy after admitting to using crystal meth, pleaded for compassion from his critics in a television interview that will be broadcast on Sunday in the United States.
During the 60 Minutes interview Agassi discussed his explosive autobiography "Open" in which he admitted to using the recreational drug and his battles with depression.
At one point, the former world number one becomes emotional after being asked to respond to criticism from Martina Navratilova, who compared him to baseball pitcher Roger Clemens, who is battling doping allegations.
"Yeah it's what you don't want to hear," Agassi told interviewer Katie Couric. "I would hope along with that would come some compassion that maybe this person doesn't need condemnation. Maybe this person could stand a little help.
"Because that was at a time in my life when I needed help."
In the book Agassi candidly describes being introduced to the drug in 1997 and the moment when he was informed he had failed a drugs test. He later lied to men's governing body the ATP about his use and escaped a ban.
Despite the bitter backlash, Agassi said he has no regrets about disclosing his drug use, even if it eventually ends up costing him a place in the Tennis Hall of Fame.
"I don't know what the ramifications are. I had way more to lose by telling this story in its full transparency than I had to gain," Agassi told Couric.
"The price that that comes with is the cost that I've assumed and I'm okay because the part that I worry and think more about is who this may help."
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Comment 7 - 26 of 26
Ivan, check your facts. Agassi did NOT cheat other players of their titles. This very short incident in his life in fact did anything but help his performance, it was the time when his ranking plumeted. He tested positive for a drug just once - and a recreational one, which carries a 3-month suspension NOT 2 years. During that time he won no titles and AFTER he'd stopped he played Challengers and not ATP t'ments
He should be stripped of all his titles, and given a long, long jail-sentence.
10.Once one Law is broken the rest is broken. Agassi took both enhancing and non-enhancing drugs(if you put it in that contest of drugs).. For disclosing one he is indirectly telling you of the rest.. So having confessed, the next is now punishement and this is the law. If a murderer confesses, he get the punishment. So he has pleaded guilty and then next is execution of justices; live ban and end of story.. He is no Angel of light. Only God is light and all in all..
From Augustine A, on Fri 6 Nov 10:39AM
Martina - shut up and get back to the jungle - are you seriously telling me that she has never taken drugs - a 50 year old woman does not look like Sly Stallone from just exercising!!!! Agassi, you're still one of the best xx
*yawn* x
EuroSport commenters are idiots.
Time after time after time.
Frankly,this is very unclear,did he take crystal meth just before his matches or was it the remains of a crazy night out that were found in the doping test ?
Second,it seems that it's only one test he failed and lied about,so that probably mean it was only recreational and not regular,but to all of you who think only steroids are enhancing drugs,you're a bit ignorant in the matter and better shut it,
Always liked the guy though,but until i'm completely clear about this,no comment
To be honest, í've always been a huge fan of Agassi and i don't think that you can take a players career just like that, but to be fare this can't go away, there has to be consequences to his actions, otherwise people are going to think that it's ok to do it and i don't think that's the image we want for the sport! Enough is enough with football and cicling and atletics and all this other sports that have suffered from this since forever! i know that this drog is not as serious as others but still we should try as hard as we can to keep tennis clean!
Newsflash for ivann66, crystal meth is not a steroid and it does not make you a better tennis player.
AGASSI SHOULD FORFEIT HIS TITLES AND WINNINGS *****
PAY BACK TIME ******* NOW
Ivan, which particular drugs are you on?
AGASSI MUST PAY BACK HIS WINNINGS ------- AND ---------TITLES HE CHEATED FOR
GIVE SAMPRAS $$ MILLION AT ONCE TO COMPENSATE FOR HIS CHEATING
I have two questions for you guys:
1)why does Eurosport chose to display such bizarre photo of Agassi, when there are nicer ones out there?
2)why does Agassi have to confess only after his records have been beaten by Roger Fed?
AGASSI CRIES NOW AFTER CHEATING OHER PLAYERS OF RIGHTFULL TENNIS TITLES
HE MUST PAY TO COMPENSATE THEM FOR CHEATING THEM
AGASSI MUST BE STRIPPED OF HIS CHEATING TENNIS TITLES
HE STOLE G/S TITLE FROM SAMPRAS
AGGASSI IS A PATHETIC COWARD ``--- HE CHEATED OTHER PLAYERS OF THEIR RIGHTFUL $$
NOW HE CRIES AFTER BREAKING LAW
AGASSI MUST BE FINED SEVERLEY ---- AND STRIPPED OF ALL HIS TITLES
HE CHEATED SAMPRAS OF ANOTHER TITLE ~~~ AGASSI MUST BE FINED & BANNED
take away all his earnings..........
as an example
Once one Law is broken the rest is broken. Agassi took both enhancing and non-enhancing drugs(if you put it in that contest of drugs).. For disclosing one he is indirectly telling you of the rest.. So having confessed, the next is now punishement and this is the law. If a murderer confesses, he get the punishment. So he has pleaded guilty and then next is execution of justices; live ban and end of story.. He is no Angel of light. Only God is light and all in all..
agassi used to be my favourite player, but i am not interested in such kind of celebrity srories.
so many boring articles about one meaningless topic.
and adding reed's comment just lowers the standard even more. :)
by the way: i really do not understand why eurosport adds so many similar consecutive articles on one topic/metch result.
For unzwa:
No-one said that crystal meth is simple at all, just that the comparison is inadequate - which is or is not true, depending on where you choose to draw the line - if you choose to divide them based on their performance-enhancing ability, then it is (Bobito), and if you choose not to, then it isn't (Martina).
Your third question is, in fact, the question everyone should be asking. The second is rather strange - he failed the doping tests because crystal meth is considered doping, no question there. For the first, you'll have to ask Agassi.
Bobito, you're totally right. The big difference here rests in recreational and performance enhancing drugs of which Agassi took the former. His talent on the court was in no way affected or enhanced in any way by it. Like yourself i've never been a big fan of Agassi but think some people need a reality check and to not just start slaughtering him upon hearing the word "drug".
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