As if the football sex abuse scandal were not enough, this is sure to shake the pillars of sport even further. It is the scale of corruption that should raise eyebrows and the fact that the Russian authorities were complicit in the crime.

Those who believe sport at this level is clean are hopelessly naïve. Yet, even the most sceptical will taste ashes on their tongue because of the mammoth size of this deceit and the way it was conducted. It is now evident that the faster we run to catch the dope cheats, the more technology evolves, the faster they find loopholes, the farther they are willing to go to win a medal.

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This is going to be hardest on the fans, who look up to the athletes as superhumans because of their single-minded pursuit of excellence. But sportspersons have let down their fans. How can such super fit human beings, whose skill and strength belies belief, give in to moral weakness?

As proof after proof tumbles out of the sporting closet of dope-fuelled medallists, fans are turning away. But the empty spectator seats might just turn out to be the only way to stop the cheats. Nothing else will.