Talking Sport - Tuesdays with James Shield

The outpouring of joy and admiration, from within British athletics at least, to Christine Ohuruogu's gold winning performance during the World Championships in Osaka was predictable if not entirely understandable. The fingers of suspicion being pointed at competitors from other nations who have also fallen foul of doping legislation even more so.

But as ever, football illustrates the point perfectly.

The Beautiful Game has the power to disgust and delight in equal measure, not least because of the vast sums of money which wash through it every year.

Top professionals, perhaps unfairly at times, are saddled with responsibilities and codes of behaviour those of us who earn more modest salaries are fortunately able to avoid.

But for every player who falls short of these high standards, there are probably 10 who reach and even surpass them.

As anyone who witnessed the exemplary behaviour of the AC Milan team which contested Friday's European Super Cup with a Sevilla side still grieving the death of Antonio Puerta will agree. Kaka and Clarence Seedorf in particular, who both made a special point of highlighting the deceased defender's name emblazoned across their shirts after scoring and being substitutes respectively.

Touching stuff.

And then there is Lee Hughes.

Oldham's decision to award the former West Brom striker a contract following his release halfway through a six-year prison sentence for causing death by dangerous driving has been greeted with fury in some quarters who feel he should have been permanently barred.

True, Hughes' actions at the time were cowardly and disgraceful and no one should deny or begrudge the victim's family the opportunity to voice their own opinions or concerns.

But whatever we think of Hughes as a person or his punishment it would be wrong to deny him the opportunity to return to his trade. From a personal point of view, Hughes may be beneath contempt but he has served his time and to start imposing restraint of trade on the basis of character would be a worrying development.

Extended to other walks of life, unemployment levels would rocket.

Society should not be able to impose special morals on sport any more than sport should be allowed to pick and choose its own.