Usain Bolt rips Tyson Gay over doping

Matthew Scott

Usain Bolt rips Tyson Gay over doping image

Usain Bolt blasted Tyson Gay's use of steroids, as well as the authorities that banned him for just a year over his drug use, claiming his sprint rival should have been kicked out of the sport.

Gay, an American sprinter, is the second-fastest man of all time behind Jamaica's Bolt. He received a yearlong ban in May 2014, the backdating of which saw him stripped of his 100-meter silver medal from the 2012 Olympic Games.

Gay returned to the track last year but has yet to race against Bolt, a six-time Olympic gold medal winner.

Bolt has revealed his newfound disdain for Gay — a rival he claims to have respected.

"I was really upset about that," Bolt said in an interview with Runners World, released by The London Times. "He got a year just because he talked to the authorities about how it was done and who helped him. That sends the wrong message: 'If you do it and get caught, just tell us all you know and we'll lower your ban'.

"It's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. The message should be: 'If you cheat you're going to be kicked out of the sport'. It really bothers me. 

"I'm not worried about him beating me, I think it's because I respected him so much over the years. He was a competitor, kept me on my toes and he pushed me to always do my best," Bolt added.  "Then to find out that he was on drugs — it's a bit like I think parents must feel when they have a kid who does something bad and lets them down. I feel like he let me down and he let the sport down."

Matthew Scott