Coe, IAAF behavior ‘ inhumane’

Gatlin agent blasts athletics’ world governing body

Athletics chief Sebastian Coe and the International Association of Athletics Federations’ ( IAAF) treatment of controversial 100- meter world champion Justin Gatlin is “inhumane” and “unsportsmanlike,” the athlete’s agent told the BBC in a blistering attack.

British athletics legend Coe – a two- time 1,500- meter Olympic champion – had told the BBC on Sunday two- time drugs cheat Gatlin’s victory in the sport’ s most high-profile event in London was not the “perfect script.”

Gatlin, 35, had been loudly booed throughout the 100- meter rounds and the verbal abuse was ratcheted up a few notches when he won the final, denying Jamaican superstar Usain Bolt a 12 th world title in his last individual final. The 60,000 plus spectators jeered Gatlin while chanting bronze medal winner Bolt’s name as if he were the champion.

Coe – who had said prior to being elected president of the IAAF he felt “queasy” about dopers returning and winning titles – remarked he wasn’t very excited about the prospect of placing the gold medal around Gatlin’s neck.

“I’m not eulogistic that someone who has served two bans has walked off with one of our glittering prizes,” said the 60- year- old.

However, Gatlin’s agent Renaldo Nehemiah, a former 110- meter hurdles world record holder, was scathing about Coe’s remarks.

“I take off ense to, with all respect, Lord Coe,” he told the BBC. “I don’t condone dop- ing but Justin Gatlin is not the poster child for it.

“He’s done his time, he plays by the rules, the IAAF reinstated him. They said, ‘ If you come back we should accept that ... So to put a narrative out that it’s just Justin Gatlin and he’s the bad guy, it’s really not fair.

“It’s inhumane. It’s unsportsmanlike.”

Nehemiah, who won the 1984 Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers, said Coe and the IAAF should be more gracious and accept their rules allowed athletes like Gatlin to get a chance at redeeming themselves.

“Lord Coe’s a part of the IAAF who set the rules, who set out the punishments, and when you serve the punishment you are supposed to be reinstated, which these athletes who have off ended and abused some of these rules have, and if you don’t want them in you should change the rules,” said the 58- year- old Nehemiah.

“You don’t allow them in and then still condemn them.”

Coe has always been a hardliner on doping, believing second- time off enders like Gatlin should have life bans.

Gatlin – who reacted to the crowd’s booing of his victory by placing a finger to his mouth – served a four- year ban from 2006 to 2010, reduced from eight years and also served a prior ban while a student, although that was also reduced as it was ascertained that he had taken medication for his Attention Deficit Disorder.