THE BOOING THAT resounded around the London Stadium when Justin Gatlin mounted the podium to receive his gold medal as 100 metres world champion hurt the American, he admitted Monday.
The 35-year-old — whose victory denied Jamaican superstar Usain Bolt a farewell gold in the individual event — also told ITV News, contrary to popular perception, that he had apologised for his second positive doping test.
The medal ceremony produced astonishing scenes with Gatlin being booed and Bolt’s name being chanted despite taking only bronze.
Gatlin, who prior to his second ban from 2006-10 won Olympic 100m gold in 2004 and double individual sprint world gold in 2005, had shown great character to triumph in London earlier this month after he was booed intensively throughout the 100m heats and final when his name was announced.
Athletics chief Sebastian Coe had admitted his victory was not the ‘perfect script’, a remark that led to Gatlin’s agent Renaldo Nehemiah labelling his star’s treatment as ‘inhumane’.
It did hurt because I’m not there for myself,” said Gatlin.
“I’m up there for my country. I’m up there for my supporters. I didn’t do it for myself.
“Especially at the starting line, I wasn’t there for me.
“I was there for people back at home watching who weren’t able to come.
Maybe the boos were for me but me standing on the podium was for people that have loved me and my country that I love.”
- ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry’ -
Gatlin, who also won silver in the 4x100m relay as the United States got edged out by the British quartet, said perhaps the people who booed him weren’t aware of what he had gone through.
I looked in the crowd who were barely half my age and definitely weren’t around in 2006, 2004 when everything happened to me,” said Gatlin, who was coached at the time of his second positive test by the now disgraced Trevor Graham.
“They couldn’t understand what I went through.”
Gatlin, whose first ban was a contentious one and was reduced on appeal as it stemmed from medication he was taking for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) when he was a student, had a message for those who booed him.
“Go further than being a fan,” he said.
Get to know an athlete… They all have stories, backgrounds, take the time to read the fine details rather than the headlines.
“Become a fan of the sport. Know who you’re rooting for and know who you’re booing.”
Gatlin, who has toyed with the idea of trying to go on until the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, said despite having already apologised he would issue another one.
If they want an official apology, I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” said Gatlin, who revealed his original letter of apology to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) had been suppressed for several years before being made public in 2015.
“I apologise for any wrongdoings I’ve brought onto the sport. I love the sport.
“That’s why I’ve come back and run to the best of my abilities. I have worked hard to right my wrongs.”
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As a Mayo fan I’m actually happy with what they are doing
@Oisin Walsh: it’s great. FairPlay to them. 9000 is plenty for a game like that. I think Mayo have roughly 4000 season tickets so plenty for home team
Its not going to just effect Kildare and Mayo it’ll also effect Tyrone and Cavan because there’s no way that are being taken to croke park on their own. Gaa needs to get the finger out and move that game to newbridge and Cavan v Tyrone to clones. Instead you have 4 teams in limbo not knowing what’s going on
@Mel Roberts: that would make sense at this stage in all fairness. Will be interesting to see how it pans out!
@Joe Kennedy: I doubt HQ will move on it. I don’t think mayo will give a Monkey’s where the game is played and Kildare are entitled to their home advantage. Madness taking Cavan and Tyrone away down there as well, they’d get 20000 in clones on a Saturday evening for it especially with the weather predicted for the weekend.
@Mel Roberts: I would have to agree really. Clones an obvious choice for the Ulster game for sure too.
@Joe Kennedy: 17s are playing monaghan in Armagh on Saturday. Double header maybe. Kildare are well in their rigth to want home advantage.
@Lorcán Coyle: both Cavan and Tyrone u17s are to play in Armagh at 5 and 7 on Saturday evening. Move the 2 under 17 games go clones along with the senior game and that solves another problem. Could have the 3 games on Saturday in clones and Cavan and Tyrone fans can seen their under 17s and seniors.
@Lorcán Coyle @mel Roberts: whole lot in Clones would work alright. Would be great atmosphere there.
@Joe Kennedy: feel like Clones won’t do it though. Would be alot for the pitch to take.
@Lorcán Coyle: ffs its the middle of summer and its one of the best surfaces in the country. It was immaculate on sunday. Its not like its 3 league games in January. I’ve been in clones where they have had a hurling game, minor football and senior football all on one day
About time someone took a stand against this type of bs
Dead right
Money grabbing clueless ba$tards up in HQ
@Paulie Little Balls: tell us what you really think of them paulie! Cmon!!
I really hope Kildare hold their ground on this. The GAA at a local level is a fantastic organisation but at the top they are increasingly behaving like a multinational corporarion in how they do things and are completely losing touch with the grassroots. Yes the finances need to be in order but at this stage its just greed, at the expense of everything the association is supposed to be about
*Corporation, better clarify that before the spelling police are on my back again
Fair play to Kildare hope they stick to their guns against the Grab All Association, this purely a money decision made by Sky to show the double header at Croke Park. Surely a neutral venue could have been found in Ulster for Cavan and Tyrone supporters and not have to travel far to see their team.
Hope the teams stand their ground, ridiculous to change it at this stage.
The GAA have been doing this for years, especially when a team is drawn out first against Dublin (not the Dubs fault) home advantage is taken and the game is then brought to Croker. I hope Kildare stick to their guns.
Ok, as a new arrival from England taking a keen interest in GAA…….wtf is it with so many games scheduled for Croke Park?
Why on earth is Kerry v Galway plus another super eight game being played there? I’d assume fans would want to get the chance to see their team on home turf where possible, not trail four hours and back up to Dublin.
And given the money that must be swilling around in the GAA why is it not possible to provide Dublin with a seaparate stadium rather than give them the home advantage of Croke for every big match?
It really is FIFAesque.
@Philip Exley: Well said Philip!
@Philip Exley: why do people stupidly have to bring in Dublin to every argument,you’re ignorance is only surpassed by your inability to spell.First of all Dublin do have a perfectly good home ground (look it up)they play in Croke park at the behest of the GAA
@Thomas Devlin: Gosh Thomas, thanks for highlighting the spelling error resulting from typing on a very senile tablet.
That apart if you’d care to re read what I wrote my argument was directed at the GAA rather than at Dublin. The fact remains that, whoever makes the decision on venue, it is unfair to everyone else that Dublin get to play all their big games on what is effectively their home pitch.
@Thomas Devlin: p.s Thomas, you might want to check your own use of grammar and spelling. It’s appalling.
@Philip Exley: as G.B.Shaw said why can’t the English teach their children how to speak? Or in your case write!
@Thomas Devlin: You are a toolbag!
@Thomas Devlin: thomas whether its at the behest of croke park or not are you seriously trying to say its not an advantage to Dublin? Its an absolute joke they get the hill to themselves on top of that. Not suggesting its in any way shape or form Dublin’s fault or doing but they are given every advantage that they don’t even need because they are so far ahead of everyone else
@Thomas Devlin: Really! You’re funny.
I came on here to impartially make a comment about a sport I enjoy and admire and from your quarter I get a childish and churlish response.
Your issue, not mine. Enjoy the chip on your shoulder.
Actually think it would benefit Kildare playing in croker, considering the injuries and mileage on the Mayo team. Either way, fair play to them for standing their ground.
Fair play to Kildare. The official draw was made, stick with it.
Fair play to them – I hope it turns out good for them – I wish waterford had the same resolve in the hurling qualifiers – Mexican stand off guaranteed at GHQ
@Brian: ah come on now. Walsh park is both a poor stadium and a poor pitch. The county board can hardly put a strong argument in when they cant put a decent county ground together. And I’d be a supporter of Waterford hurling.
This is a problem of the GAA’s own making. A big faux pas
Is anybody else’s app crashing regularly recently or is it all the dodgy stuff I’ve been downloading causing my phone to act up
@Clay Davis: develop a no porn policy
@John O Reilly: easier said than done.
Good for Kildare – about time a county took a stance !
So Mayo will come out on Saturday and the ref will throw in the ball in Croke park, if Mayo score a goal or a pint then it’s game over. Mayo could give the two fingers to GAA HQ and kick it wide on purpose… with no one to kick it out the game ends in a a 0-0 to 0-0 draw and a replay is needed
Good luck to Kildare, hope they stand firm on this. It stated quite clearly that the teams drawn first would be at home.
MEANWHILE SKY Sports are waiting in the long grass (or should that be the short grass) as they still have TBC emblazoned on their programme schedule
What next , move the game to limerick… oh wait a moment …
If Mayo have one ounce of respect they should show up in new bridge.
i don’t see it happening as mayo are so desperate at this stage to try and win sam they will accept the walkover.
thats the stuff Kildare. I’d only be delighted to see the game played in the home kildare GAA, from a mayo man.
So mayo get a walk over then!!! Or??
@tim dawson: dose mayo really want to accept a walkover and in the unlikely event of them winning sam this year have is throwing at them that they just won it as they accepted a walkover ??