World Athletics Championships 2017: Usain Bolt warns sport will 'die' if doping continues
Many fear for the future of track and field when its most recognisable athlete retires next week
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Your support makes all the difference.Usain Bolt has warned that athletics will “die” if dopers continue to tarnish its reputation.
The Jamaican sprinter – an eight-time Olympic and 11-time world champion – is due to retire after the upcoming World Championships in London next week.
While many fear for the future of track and field without its most recognisable athlete and while it is mired in suspicion and controversy, Bolt has hope that the sport is on its way back up as long as it can rid itself of cheats.
"Hopefully athletes will see what's going on and understand that if they don't stop what they're doing the sport will die,” the 30-year-old said on Tuesday evening.
“Hopefully understand what the sport is going through and what they need to do as athletes to help the sport moves forward.
"Personally I think it was there [rock bottom]. After the scandal on Russia I don't think it gets any worse than that. It's on its way back up now. No way but up you can go and forward.”
Bolt was stripped of one of his own Olympic golds after Jamaican relay teammate Nesta Carter tested positive for a banned substance at the Beijing games in 2008, a decision Carter has appealed.
And Bolt admitted the problem of doping in athletics is a “frustrating” one for those who are clean.
"You can't be happy about doping at all, it's not good for the sport. But over the years we're doing a better job, it's getting clean and we're catching up to a lot of athletes,” Bolt added.
"There's an understanding that, listen, if you cheat you will get caught. Over time the sport will get better.
"I said a couple of years ago it had to get really bad, when there's nowhere else to go but up. The only way track and field has left to go is up. We're going to go in the right direction and I'm happy about that situation.
"Doping is always a bad thing and it's never pleasant because you put in the hard work and the sport starts going forward and then you have other guys bringing it back, it's hard. It's going in the right direction so hopefully it will continue in that direction."
Bolt was speaking in London for the final time ahead of Friday's 100m heats and Saturday's semi-final and final as he aims to defend his world title from Beijing.
He will also race in the 4x100m relay next week before bringing the curtain down on his decorated and stunning career.
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