• Commonwealth Games

Bolt hits out at anti-doping officials

Usain Bolt will be competing in the 4x100m relay at the Commonwealth Games © Getty Images

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Usain Bolt believes the decision to reduce Tyson Gay's doping ban has sent "a bad message to the sport".

Former 100m and 200m world champion Gay received only a one-year suspension after testing positive for a banned anabolic steroid because he co-operated with the US Anti-Doping Agency - avoiding a potential two-year punishment.

Previous world 100m record holder Asafa Powell was also handed an 18-month ban for taking the banned stimulant oxilofrine.

"I'm not really happy with the situation and with how it was done," Bolt said as he prepared to run in the Commonwealth Games.

"For someone like Asafa [Powell] to get a ban of 18 months for that [stimulant oxilofrine] and then Tyson Gay get just one year because of cooperating, it is sending a bad message into the sport that you can do it [dope] but, if you cooperate with us, we'll reduce the sentence."

Gay returned to action on July 3 and competed in the Diamond League meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland. Gay's ban was accepted by both WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) and athletics' governing body IAAF.

Bolt added: "I don't think that's the right way to go because you are pretty much telling people that this is a way out, it's a way of beating the system, so personally, I don't think the IAAF dealt with that very well."

Bolt, a six-time Olympic gold medallist, is training twice a day in order to be ready for the sprint relay at the Commonwealth Games following an operation on his foot in March.

"It's been rough," the Jamaican said, who missed nine weeks of training due to the surgery. "But I've been through it a couple times so I know what it takes to get back so I'm just pushing on and working towards what's necessary for this season."

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