Chins when you're winning

By Sanjeev Shetty

One chin loser

After Hakan Yakin was told he was too fat to play for Paris St Germain, we take a look at some larger-than-life sportsmen who were better when bigger.

Even in the fragmented world of professional darts, the name of John Lowe is synonymous with dedication, poise and achievement.

Fatty old game

He was this writer's own personal hero of the dartboard, during an era which featured such legends as Eric Bristow and Jocky Wilson.

Unlike those two, Lowe can still be seen doing what he did best and eagle-eyed television viewers would have witnessed him recently duelling with another 80s legend, Keith Deller.

Multiple chin winner

But the gentleman of darts cuts a different figure these days - a thinner one.

Gone is the bulging waistline, as are, not insignificantly, the titles. Maybe, like Phil 'The Power' Taylor, he found that his aim and balance were hampered by the uneven weight displacement.

It is all fair and well having a bottom smaller than that other J-Lo, but what help is it when you're not number one anymore?

Which got me thinking - is bigger better?

Take Paul Gascoigne, a man whose weight problems have been well documented over the years.

The prime of our Gazza was almost certainly between 1989 and 1991, a period of his life when the Geordie genius sported a very obvious spare tyre.

Fast-forward 10 years and the gaunt-faced individual trying to ply his trade around the world would struggle to get into some pub teams.

One man who did not learn the lesson was a man most famous for never winning a major golf tournament - Scotland's Colin Montgomerie.

For seven years, Monty won the European Order of Merit title without barely breaking sweat - that would only happen when he played in the warmer climes of America.

But he could not crack the major field and as a last resort, shed a few pounds in the hope of emulating the dynamic Tiger Woods.

It hasn't happened, has it?

That said, no-one begrudges Monty too much - diet or pie, he always does the business in the only tournament that really matters, the Ryder Cup.

In some corners, you may find people willing to debate whether darts or golf are even worthy of the definition 'sport'.

But no one questions tennis' right to that claim.

Four chicken madras' please!

And does anyone think that Jennifer Capriati or Monica Seles suffered from a lack of nourishment on their way to a combined total of 12 Grand Slam titles?

But what about Ian Botham, the best English all-rounder of the last 30 years?

Beefy liked a pint and a burger after he finished a day's play - and it showed.

From the time he burst onto the international scene during the mid 70s to his finest hour in the 1981 Ashes series, Botham piled on the pounds as quickly as he scored runs and took wickets.

Knowing that he could not keep going at that rate all his life, Beefy waited until he quit the sport before shedding the weight - a lesson to us all.