Coe and IAAF’s behaviour inhumane: Gatlin’s agent
London, UK - Athletics chief Sebastian Coe and the IAAF's treatment of controversial 100m 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 1,500m Olympic champion - had told the BBC on Sunday that two-time drugs cheat Gatlin's victory was not the 'perfect script'.
Gatlin, 35, had been loudly booed throughout the 100m rounds and the verbal abuse was ratcheted up a few notches when he won the final, denying Jamaican superstar Usain Bolt a 12th 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 was the champion.
However, Gatlin's agent Renaldo Nehemiah, a former 110m hurdles world record holder, was scathing about Coe's remarks. "I take offence to, with all respect, Lord Coe," he told the BBC. "I don't condone doping 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.