• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Usain Bolt claimed opponent who 'pushed him to his best' should've faced a lifetime ban ahead of 2016 Olympics

Home> Athletics

Updated 11:26 29 May 2025 GMT+1Published 11:22 29 May 2025 GMT+1

Usain Bolt claimed opponent who 'pushed him to his best' should've faced a lifetime ban ahead of 2016 Olympics

The eight-time Olympic gold medallist admitted that what an opponent did "really bothers" him.

Luke Davies

Luke Davies

Usain Bolt once admitted that he was “let down” by an opponent whom he “respected” previously, and even suggested he should be ‘banned for life’.

Bolt, 38, is the fastest man of all time and boasts both the 100 and 200m world records with times of 9.58 and 19.19 seconds, respectively, both of which he set during the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany.

His eight Olympic gold medals have assured his legacy in the sport, but even the great Jamaican has suffered at the hands of drug cheats.

Advert

In 2017, Bolt, Michael Frater and Asafa Powell saw their 4x100m relay gold medals from the 2008 games stripped due to their teammate Nesta Carter failing a drugs test years later.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said Carter’s sample tested positive for the prohibited substance methylhexaneamine.

Several of Bolt’s closest rivals, including Justin Gatlin - who admitted failing a drug test in 2006 and received a subsequent ban, which was overturned by the IAAF - have seen their careers overshadowed as a result of positive tests.

And this was also the case for American Tyson Gay.

Advert

Gay, now 42, was once the second-fastest man in history, having clocked a time of 9.69 seconds in 2009.

However, he tested positive for a banned anabolic steroid in 2013 and was handed a one-year ban after cooperating with authorities.

Bolt gave his thoughts to Runner’s World in 2015.

Speaking about Gay’s return, Bolt said: “I was really upset about that. 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’.”

Advert

He added: “I’m not looking forward to competing against Tyson [at the 2015 IAAF World Athletics Championships].

Tyson Gay and Usain Bolt (Credit:Getty)
Tyson Gay and Usain Bolt (Credit:Getty)

“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. 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.

“You have to drive fear into athletes, to make them think about the consequences of their actions. If they’re getting an easy penalty, why would they care?”

Advert

Bolt won the subsequent men’s 100m final with Gay finishing in sixth.

Less than a year later, at the Rio Olympics in 2016, Bolt triumphed once again, sprinting to gold.

Meanwhile, Gay was part of Team USA’s men’s 4x100m relay quartet that initially secured bronze before they were disqualified as Gatlin was ruled to have received the baton too early from Mike Rodgers.

Tyson Gay refuses to be called 'drug cheat'

Despite serving a ban, Gay said he should not he described as a 'drug cheat' in 2015.

Advert

Gay said: "If I would have made a decision to intentionally do something to hurt the sport, I wouldn't have come back.

"When you put key words or a syringe by somebody's name, it manipulates someone's mind to believe you intentionally tried to do something and get away with it.

"That wasn't the case."

Featured Image Credit: Ready Set Go/YT

Topics: Usain Bolt, Athletics, Olympics

Luke Davies
Luke Davies

Journalist with expertise covering football - both in England and abroad - as well as combat sports.

X

@lukedaviesmedia

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

13 hours ago
4 days ago
5 days ago
13 days ago
  • 13 hours ago

    First medal of 2028 Olympic Games in LA decided as major announcement made

    New information on what the 2028 Olympics will look like has been released three years ahead of the showpiece.

    Athletics
  • 4 days ago

    Gout Gout had ice cold response after Noah Lyles questioned him about 'next Usain Bolt' status

    The Australian sprinting sensation has been compared to Bolt as he gears up for today’s U23 200m in Monaco

    Athletics
  • 5 days ago

    Gout Gout given strict three-point criteria to beat Usain Bolt at same age after illegal time controversy

    The Australian sensation will run the U23s 200m race at the Monaco Diamond League this week

    Athletics
  • 13 days ago

    Usain Bolt explains why Noah Lyles and Kishane Thompson would have stood no chance at 2012 Olympic Games

    Noah Lyles beat Kishane Thompson at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

    Athletics
  • Usain Bolt explains why Noah Lyles and Kishane Thompson would have stood no chance at 2012 Olympic Games
  • Gout Gout had ice cold response after Noah Lyles questioned him about 'next Usain Bolt' status
  • Gout Gout given strict three-point criteria to beat Usain Bolt at same age after illegal time controversy
  • USA sprinter who Usain Bolt tipped as the next big thing could face four-year ban after competing at Olympics