Dope cheat Gatlin won gold, Bolt bagged glory

Justin Gatlin did not deserve to win the 100 metres at the World Athletics Championships in London on Saturday. In fact, he didn’t even deserve to be running, competing against Usain Bolt, a legend, the greatest sprinter of our time, a decent man and a record-holder. This was Bolt’s farewell party, at least in solo sprinting, but it was Gatlin, a drug cheat who took the honours with gold. Gatlin didn’t just get away after being caught out back in 2006. He got back in 2010, survived and thrived with medals despite the taint still sticking to him. Bolt’s swansong was soiled by the trickery of doping and the vagaries of our time. Yes, Bolt wasn’t at his best; his start, which was never his strength, let him down again. He was slow off the blocks and struggled to catch up, his body not responding to that fleeting spirit that made him soar to greatness and transformed him a record-smasher who will be remembered for eternity.

In the end, a bronze was Bolt’s consolation — it paled in comparison to all the glory that shone on him. Gatlin was justly booed by the crowd after his stunning run. He appeared unrepentant for his past cheating by saying he hoped athletics could be proud of him. Spectators may forget, but they should never forgive those who cross the line in sporting morals. Pumped up on steroids and winning is not the story any fan wants to hear or watch. It makes a mockery of those to play by the rules of sport. It hurts those who pay to watch great rivalries on the track. What happened to ethics? What example does it set for young athletes who want to race and triumph on their own merit and sweat? Then, the system could be rigged, giving some athletes like Gatlin an unfair edge over the others. His second more serious ban was over testosterone found in his body. The athlete blamed his masseuse then. On Saturday, he simply rubbed it in by winning the race against the greatest clean sprinter of our generation, Bolt. What a shame!