Usain Bolt on doping scandal: Rio ban on Russia will scare lot of people

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt backs IAAF’s strong action against Russia over doping scandal and says it will send clear message to offenders

LONDON: Usain Bolt has given a “thumbs up” to the decision to ban the Russian athletics team from the Rio Olympics because of widespread doping.

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt is set for his first 200-metre run of the season in the Anniversary Games in London today. Pic/Getty Images

The IAAF, world athletics’ governing body, banned the Russian team last month and that decision was rubber-stamped by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) yesterday.

The Swiss-based body rejected an appeal against the hard-line IAAF stance by the Russian Olympic Committee and 68 individual athletes.

Speaking ahead of today’s Muller Anniversary Games in London, the 29-year-old Bolt said the situation was “sad” but the decision would send a powerful message about clean sport.

“For me, if you have the proof and you catch somebody, I definitely feel you should take action,” Jamaica’s six-time Olympic sprint champion said.

“It’s sad, but rules are rules. I don’t make the rules and I don’t make the decisions.

“If you feel like banning the whole team is the right action, then I’m all for it.

‘Situation getting bad’
“Doping violations in track and field (are) getting bad, so if you feel like you need to make a statement, and this is how you feel like you need to make a statement, then thumbs up.”

When asked if it was important for sport to send clear messages on the consequences of cheating, Bolt said: “I always feel like it’s a good message to show that if you cheat or you go against the rules then we’re going to take serious action. This will scare a lot of people or send a strong message that the sport is serious about cleaning up.”

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