Sprint legend Carl Lewis has waded through the Tyson Gay doping controversy, saying that the reigning Olympic 100m and 200m champion Usain Bolt has raised a “legitimate” issue but he should “clean up his own country first” before talking about others, Times of India reports.
Bolt has launched a blistering attack on his 100m sprint rival Gay, claiming the American should have been kicked out of athletics and not a reduced ban for failing dope tests.
Gay failed three drugs tests in 2013 after using steroid creams but only received a backdated one-year suspension last year. He was given the reduced penalty because he provided evidence to the US Anti-Doping Agency that led to an eight-year ban for his former coach, Jon Drummond.
“He (Bolt) has raised a legitimate issue and I understand that but rules are rules. But see a Jamaican is talking about it. Lots of doping issues have come out in Jamaican athletics in the last four-five years. He should first think of cleaning up his own house,” Lewis told reporters on the sidelines of the Times of India Sports Awards during the week.
“Doping is not good for sports. I have said that and I have taken a stand on that in 1987 and in 2008.
“How many people have taken stand on doping?”
Gay clocked faster times than Bolt last year and will be a serious threat to the Jamaican at the World Championships in Beijing this summer.
Lewis said the larger issue is how to educate young athletes.
“I am now coaching a bunch of young athletes at the University of Richmond in the US. I want to teach them that taking drugs is not the way to go,” he said.
“The larger issue is to educate youngsters that taking drugs is not going to right direction. Moreover, the US did not win a single gold in sprints in 2012 London Olympics. That should be a concern for the country. Who knows the collegiate students under me win an Olympic gold in future,” he said.
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