I'm just trying to improve the sport: Usain Bolt

London: Insisting that he is running clean, Usain Bolt today said the recent spate of doping scandals to hit athletics will damage the sport but won’t affect his own preparations for the upcoming world championships.

The world’s fastest man, though, stopped short of condemning fellow Jamaican sprinters Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson or American rival Tyson Gay, whose failed doping tests have left the sport in turmoil ahead of the worlds in Moscow next month.

“Definitely it’s going to set us back a little bit,” Bolt said in London ahead of a Diamond League meet his first competition in the city since his three gold medals at last year’s Olympics. “But as a person I can’t focus on this.

“I still have world championships, everyone is stepping up their game so I have to really focus on that. … I am just trying to work hard, run fast and hopefully help people to forget what has happened, and just move on.”

In his first public comments since news of the high-profile doping cases broke, Bolt promised that he won’t be the next sprint star to be embroiled in a scandal.

“I was made to inspire people and to run, and I was given the gift and that’s what I do,” the six-time Olympic champion said. “I am confident in myself and my team, the people I work with. And I know I am clean.

“So I’m just going to continue running, using my talent and just trying to improve the sport.”

If the recent cases have cast doubt about Bolt’s own integrity, the 100- and 200-meter world record-holder asked any skeptics to just check his record.

“If you were following me since 2002 you would know that I have been doing phenomenal things since I was 15,” the 26-year-old Bolt said. “I was the youngest person to win the world juniors at 15. I ran the world junior (200) record 19.93 at 18 … I have broken every record there is to break, in every event I have ever done.

“For me, I have proven myself since I was 15. … I have shown everything throughout the years since I was always going to be great.”

It was announced earlier this month that Powell and Simpson tested positive for the stimulant oxilofrone at Jamaica’s national championships in June. Discus thrower Allison Randall and two other athletes also returned positives for banned substances at the same meet.

Bolt said he has spoken only briefly via text message with Powell since the positive test was announced.

“I didn’t want to bombard him with questions,” Bolt said. “I told him, ‘Sorry to hear what was going on.’ And he said ‘Yes, it’s kind of rough, it’s hard.’

“And I just told him to stay strong and stay focused, and hopefully everything will work out.”

Powell was the last man to hold the 100-meter world record before Bolt broke it in 2008. He also helped the Jamaicans to the 4x100-meter relay gold medal at the 2008 Olympics.

In almost 20 minutes with reporters in London on Thursday, Bolt avoided any direct criticism of his fellow athletes.

“In life things happen, people make mistakes, mishaps happen,” Bolt said in response to a question about doping sanctions.

AP