Here's a question for you.

How many of you look at sporting champions and wonder if they're using drugs to help them achieve their results?

With the Olympics just around the corner I guarantee the thought will cross your mind even more.

Drugs in sport is an issue that has been at the forefront of every fan's mind ever since Ben Johnson was unceremoniously booted out of the Olympics in 1988.

Before then people suspected something was going on but no one could really prove it.

Now, though, almost everyone is under suspicion.

And despite the powers-that-be coming out and declaring these Olympics will be the cleanest ever we all know that's almost the stuff of fairytales.

Already this week American swimmer Jessica Hardy has reportedly failed a drug test.

The 21-year-old was supposedly a good chance of a medal in her chosen events but now a dark shadow has been cast across the entire team.

But drugs aren't the only source of scandal for the Olympics.

Here's a selection of stories that have caught my eye today:

You could never disagree that politics play a huge part in the Olympics but US Presidential hopeful Barack Obama has taken things to new heights.

The Democratic candidate has apparently spent a cool US$5 million on ads to run throughout the coverage of the Games in Beijing

And pre-games injuries are always tough to see.

The case of the Croatian hand-baller Ivan Cupic is no different.

The Croatians were the favourites for gold in Beijing but they will have to do it without Cupic who is recovering from a nasty finger injury

As I've mentioned, politics is a big issue around the Olympics and here's another example of how the line between sport and international politics can be blurred.

For a number of reasons the IOC has deemed it fair to exclude Iraq from this year's Games.

One of them just happens to be that the head of the Iraqi Olympic Committee was kidnapped in 2006 and has not been seen since.

But of course the move hasn't been met with widespread approval and even George W Bush has come out in condemnation

But it's not all bad news.

There are the good news stories coming out as well.

For example the Italian swimmers are confident they'll be walking away from the pool deck with medals as well as a host of new fans after they expose their talent to the world

I have to say I'm starting to get excited about the Olympics. I think there will be plenty of drama on and off the field of play.

What do you think?