COSTA RICA-LEWIS/DOPING Olympic superstar Carl Lewis says athletics on “decline” amidst IAAF doping allegations

Record ID: 144815

  • Title: COSTA RICA-LEWIS/DOPING Olympic superstar Carl Lewis says athletics on “decline” amidst IAAF doping allegations
  • Date: 7th August 2015
  • Summary: SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA (AUGUST 06, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF HOTEL FLAGS AT HOTEL FORMER OLYMPIAN CARL LEWIS IN HOTEL LOBBY (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER OLYMPIAN, CARL LEWIS, SAYING: "Well, I think the biggest issue is to make sure there is a plan in the future to make sure this sport has an opportunity to grow. You see, I know they are electing a new president so both pre
  • Embargoed: 22nd August 2015 13:00
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  • Location: Costa Rica
  • Country: Costa Rica
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAE052SVYMNTJITWBO38QRZBM3V
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Olympic superstar Carl Lewis told Reuters on Thursday (August 06) that athletics has been on a state of decline since his professional retirement, amidst the latest doping storm to engulf the sport's governing IAAF and a vote to elect a new president for the body.
    Fellow Olympians Segey Bubka and Sebastian Coe are vying for the top job at the IAAF.
    In Costa Rica for the NACAC (North American, Central American and Caribbean) Championships, Lewis told Reuters the biggest issue facing athletics is a plan of growth for the future.
    "Well, I think the biggest issue is to make sure there is a plan in the future to make sure this sport has an opportunity to grow. You see, I know they are electing a new president so both presidential (candidates) have talked about a mandate to help make some changes in order for this sport to grow, and I think that's important. But what really needs to happen is that athletes need to stand up and that's why like I said I'm at the collegiate level trying to teach them what they need to think about and what they need to do to make sure their sport is viable to become a much better and a much bigger sport in the future," he said.
    Lewes' comments come days after a damning report in British newspaper The Sunday Times and by German broadcaster ARD/WDR which accused the IAAF of failing to investigate hundreds of "suspicious" drug tests between 2001 and 2012, raising new questions about the sport just weeks before the August 22-30 world championships in Beijing.
    The American champion told Reuters the sport has been in decline since his retirement since 1997.
    "At the end of the day the sport is going to be as good as the athletes want. If they really want change, they want the sport to grow then they are the ones that have to stand up and work with the powers that be to make sure that it happens. You see, I retired in 1997 and the sport has been on a steady decline since then. No one has been able to stop that decline so obviously what's happening has created a problem. No athlete, no administrators. So I hope that when we get a new president that the athletes understand, let's reach out to the administrators and the federations and people and do all we can to make our sport grow," he added.
    Bubka and Coe have campaigned on their vision for athletics, with a strategy to tackle doping in the sport.
    Lewis said the association needs to look back to make progress on the issue.
    "I was really one of the ones with Sergei Bubka and Seb Coe, we were the ones that created the model that the sport has. We did that in the 80's and 90's and so the models are already there. We've already set the tone for what needs to be done. Now I think sometimes you have to look backwards in order to move forwards," he said.
    The two news organisations making the claims said they had obtained 'secret' test data from the vaults of the IAAF, supplied by a whistleblower disgusted by the extent of doping in track and field.
    The reports said 800 of the 12,000 blood tests involving 5,000 athletes were suspicious, indicating suspected widespread blood doping in athletics between 2001 and 2012.
    Lewis himself has tested positive three times for a stimulant before the 1988 Games but had the results overturned by American officials.
    He was named "Athlete of the 20th Century" by the IOC, the IAAF, and American magazine Sports Illustrated, following an illustrious tally of nine golds over four successive Olympics.
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