New Laws of Commercial Registration and Trade Names take effect on Thursday    Civil Defense warns of heavy rains across Saudi Arabia until Monday    Saudi Exchange suspends trading of seven companies over financial disclosure delays    New fleet of 76 public transport buses starts operation in Jeddah on Tuesday Environmentally friendly electric buses introduced for first time    Foreign investors are allowed to engage in real estate business outside Makkah and Madinah Commercial speculation should not be the purpose of real estate transaction    EU preparing 'further countermeasures' to protect its interest, von der Leyen says    Tesla sales plunge after backlash against Elon Musk    Musk's X is suing India, as Tesla and Starlink plan entry    Israel announces expansion of military operation in Gaza to seize 'large areas' of land    US cancels visa of Nobel Peace Prize winner Oscar Arias    Danish prime minister refutes US claim on Greenland on visit to the Arctic territory    Aubameyang fires Al Qadsiah into King's Cup final with stoppage-time winner over Al Raed    Cristiano Ronaldo joins Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves    Saudi Arabia welcomes trilateral border treaty between Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan    Swedish table tennis legend Jörgen Persson appointed head coach of Saudi national team    Danilo Pereira fires Al Ittihad into King's Cup final with dramatic stoppage-time double    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Saudi creatives shine at Jeddah's Fawanees Nights with art, fashion, and storytelling    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



I cannot save athletics alone - Bolt
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 21 - 08 - 2015

BEIJING — Olympic and world sprint champion Usain Bolt has been saddened by the focus on doping in the run-up to the World Championships but says even he cannot save the sport by himself.
The governing International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has spent the three weeks leading up to its showpiece event, which begins Saturday, defending its record on doping after a string of embarrassing leaks.
Britain's Sebastian Coe was elected as new IAAF president Wednesday and has promised to set up an independent anti-doping body for the sport.
“It's been a lot of doping in the headlines over the last couple of months, it's really sad that that's where the sport is right now,” Jamaican Bolt said in an interview on the eve of his 29th birthday.
“Hopefully, the new president can change a lot of rules and make things easier for the sport to be better.
“It's going to be hard (to get rid of doping), I think. If you make harder rules, less people will take a chance.
“But I think you will always have those one or two people who feel they can beat the system. It's just like life, people think they can beat the system.
“I think it's the responsibility of all the athletes to take it upon themselves to help save the sport and show the sport can go far, without drugs cheats or athletes who've taken drugs.”
In the midst of the crisis, the Beijing sprint showdown between Bolt, who has never failed a drugs test, and in-form American Justin Gatlin, who has served two suspensions for using banned substances, has been billed as a battle for the soul of the sport.
Gatlin's second positive test, in 2006, would normally have earned him a lifetime ban but after he agreed to co-operate with the anti-doping authorities that was cut to eight, and then four years.
Bolt said he had no problem running against Gatlin if the rules said the former Olympic and world champion was eligible, and rejected the idea that, as the sport's highest profile name, it was his responsibility to save it.
“I can't do this by myself, it's never going to be one single person, I just focus on what I need to do,” he said.
“I just see it as high stakes race. Two athletes competing. We are two athletes at the top of our games who have to compete. That's how I see it.”
It was at the Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing that Bolt first established himself as the sport's biggest star, winning both sprint titles and a relay gold, all in world record times, at the 2008 Olympics.
“For me, just being back here is exciting, just to be back in the country, just to be back among the people,” Bolt said.
“It's wonderful to be back, it's brought back a lot of memories. I'm looking forward to the same results.” Seven years of almost complete dominance of the sprint titles at major championships have followed, the only blot being the 100 meters final in Daegu in 2011 when Bolt was disqualified for a false start.
Happy with his form for the Aug. 22-30 championships despite having raced less than he would have liked to this year because of a problem with his joints, Bolt said Gatlin would have to better his personal best of 9.74 seconds to take the 100m title.
“If he's going to beat me, he's going to have to run a proper fast time,” Bolt added.
“I've said it over the years, my aim is always to run 9.6 so he has to run 9.6 to beat me for sure.”
Bolt set 100m (9.58) and 200m (19.19) world records at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin and while he might not be in the form to challenge those records, he thinks the 9.69 he ran to win Beijing gold in the shorter sprint might be within reach.
“I'm definitely in good shape, I've been training, I've slimmed down and everything has being going smoothly,” he said.
“All championships, that's what I aim for, to win three gold medals. But to do it again in Beijing would be great. And to break the stadium record would be even better.” His campaign gets under way in heats for the 100m Saturday. — Reuters


Clic here to read the story from its source.