Usain Bolt denies his defeat to Justin Gatlin in the London 2017 100m final was a disaster for athletics
Usain Bolt denied Justin Gatlin's 100 metres victory was a disaster for athletics and continued to defend the American after he upset his golden send-off.
The Jamaican sprint king also bristled at a question which suggested slower times at this year's World Championships were in direct relation to stronger doping controls.
Gatlin, banned twice for doping violations, won the 100m title in 9.92 seconds in London on Saturday with Bolt third, behind Christian Coleman, in his final solo race before retirement.
Gatlin will collect his medal on Sunday evening in a ceremony brought forward from 8.00pm to 6:50pm - 10 minutes before the start of the evening session.
Officially it was switched because of operational reasons and it was denied organisers moved it over fears of an adverse reaction from the crowd, who had booed Gatlin throughout the competition.
After the race Bolt was angered by a suggestion this year's slower times - only he and Coleman broke 10 seconds before the final - came after a doping crackdown and insisted Gatlin had nothing to answer for now.
Click here for our take on Usain Bolt's defeat and the positive message which can still be taken
He said: "I'm sure everyone takes that very disrespectfully. We've proved we've worked hard, Justin has done his time over the years and has proven himself over and over again.
"I have proven myself over and over again, the young kid Coleman is coming in and has performed great and has shown the world he is going to be a great athlete.
"There's something called injury and sometimes everything doesn't go as smoothly as you want to - there's wind and so many other things.
"For you (a journalist) to just directly state something like that (slow times may be in relation to tighter doping controls), I take that as disrespectful. We have done so many great things throughout the years. Yes, it's slow but we came out and put on a good show for everyone.
"Justin was the better man and he executed it well. For me he deserves to be here because he's done his time and worked hard to get back to be one of the best athletes.
"He's been injured and he's come back. He's like any other competitor."
Gatlin has always denied being a two-time drug cheat.
He was first banned in 2001 for two years for traces of an amphetamine contained in medication he had been taking since he was young for attention deficit disorder. The ban was later reduced to one year and he returned to win the 100m title at the 2004 Olympics and also claimed the 100m and 200m world titles in 2005.
Gatlin also served a four-year ban from 2006 - reduced from eight after he helped US Government against doping - for testing positive for testosterone.
Again he denied doping, insisting the positive result came from a therapist rubbing testosterone cream on him - a claim the therapist has also refuted.
Bolt must now focus on the 4x100m relay next weekend, his final global race before retirement, and said failure to win gold does not mean he will go back on his plans.
"It doesn't change anything. I lost the race to a great competitor, I came third to a young kid coming up - he has a great talent and a great future ahead of him," he said.
"No matter what happened this season I was going to come out and do my best. I did it for the fans, they really wanted me to do one more season."
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