Carl Lewis Disses Usain Bolt

[DWF]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article4740437.ece

The American, 47, who won nine Olympic golds, stopped short of accusing Bolt of doping, but his remarks were the most damning yet from a track insider. In an incendiary interview in Sports Illustrated, Lewis said: “When people ask me about Bolt I say he could be the greatest athlete of all time. But for someone to run 10.03 one year and 9.69 the next, if you don’t question that in a sport that has the reputation it has right now, you’re a fool. Period.”
Like many others, Lewis pointed to Jamaica’s perceived lack of testing as the foundation for his suspicion. “I’m proud of America right now because we have the best random and most comprehensive drug-testing programme. Countries like Jamaica do not have a random programme, so they can go months without being tested. No one is accusing Bolt, but don’t live by a different rule and expect the same kind of respect. How dare anybody feel that there shouldn’t be scrutiny, especially in our sport?”
Lewis, who was allowed to compete in the 1988 Games in Seoul having been cleared by the IAAF after being accused of testing positive for banned stimulants, said that he was not singling out Bolt and also questioned the performance of Jamaica’s female sprinters. The IOC targeted the Jamaica sprinters for blood-testing when they were in Beijing and none of them tested positive.

Carl Lewis just can't stay out of the spotlight even if it's somebody else's spotlight.

 

[Jack Bauer]

Sounds like something crawled up Carl Lewis's ass. The green eyed monster perhaps?

 

[Nardpuncher]

I am very sure that Bolt was on something. I know I can't prove it, but many things point to it.

 

[Shaw]

Bolt ran under 20 seconds for the 200 meters at the age of 18 (4 years ago), so his progression is hardly that shocking. The 100 meter record (and the event on the whole) has never been Bolt's focus, breaking Michael Johnson's 200 meter world record was what he was aiming for.

Carl Lewis is hardly a Track insider... he spent most of his time alienating all the other athletes around him. In the late 80's I competed in quite a few meets with world class athletes, and with the exception of Lewis they were all rather approachable.

He was great, but isolated. And maybe that isolation has left a chip on his shoulder (though the isolation was of his own making). By the time I was competing in national level meets, he was pretty much universally disliked throughout the track community.

 

[Roger Wilco]

What a hypocrit. Carl Lewis even tested positive himself! During the US trials before the Olympic Games 1988; where he got awarded the gold medal after Ben Johnson's disqualification; the US Olympic Comitee just let it go. He's the last person who should accuse someone of doping.

 

[gblews]

The American, 47, who won nine Olympic golds, stopped short of accusing Bolt of doping, but his remarks were the most damning yet from a track insider. In an incendiary interview in Sports Illustrated, Lewis said: “When people ask me about Bolt I say he could be the greatest athlete of all time. But for someone to run 10.03 one year and 9.69 the next, if you don’t question that in a sport that has the reputation it has right now, you’re a fool. Period.”
Like many others, Lewis pointed to Jamaica’s perceived lack of testing as the foundation for his suspicion. “I’m proud of America right now because we have the best random and most comprehensive drug-testing programme. Countries like Jamaica do not have a random programme, so they can go months without being tested. No one is accusing Bolt, but don’t live by a different rule and expect the same kind of respect. How dare anybody feel that there shouldn’t be scrutiny, especially in our sport?”
Lewis, who was allowed to compete in the 1988 Games in Seoul having been cleared by the IAAF after being accused of testing positive for banned stimulants, said that he was not singling out Bolt and also questioned the performance of Jamaica’s female sprinters. The IOC targeted the Jamaica sprinters for blood-testing when they were in Beijing and none of them tested positive.

As much admiration as I had for Usain Bolt's performance, as annoying as I have always found Carl Lewis over the years, and regardless if he is a real "track insider" or once tested positive himself, he does have a point -- that is, IF Bolt and his countrymen are doping.

Even without concrete evidence of doping, the Jamaicans seemingly lax testing methods are creating and fostering a lack of trust which is hurting the team's credibility. This is easily remedied I would think; just do the same type of stringent testing other nations do.