Usain Bolt, the iconic Jamaican Olympian and the fastest man ever to have lived over 100 metres has been stripped of one of his nine gold medals due to a team mate being tested positive over drugs.
In 2008, the Jamaican 4×100 relay team won gold. Usain Bolt was part of the team that won. Nesta Carter, was also part of the team and has recently been found to have banned substances in his body at the time of the win at the Beijing Games.
The substances were discovered when blood and urine samples were reanalysed.
During the event Carter ran the opening leg of the Olympic final. Jamaica set a new world record in their victory achieving a finishing time of 37.10. Usain Bolt picked up three gold medals in his debut games. Carter is the sixth faster man in the world over a 100 metres.
Methylhexaneamine
Last summer it emerged that Carter was one of 31 athletes that had failed their doping samples. They were retested using more advanced scientific techniques, and to weed out drug cheats ahead of the 2016 games.
Carter did not compete in Rio and the International Olympic Committee confirmed his sample had tested positive for methylhexaneamine.
Stripped of Gold
Due to the positive test all four members of the team which included Asafa Powell and Michael Frater, have been stripped of their gold medal. In light of this, silver medallists Trinidad & Tobago will be awarded Gold, while Japan will now receive Silver, and Brazil the Bronze.
Last summer, Mr Bolt said he would not have a problem giving back the medal if it transpired he won it running alongside a drugs cheat.
He said, “It’s heartbreaking [the positive test] because over the years you’ve worked hard to accumulate gold medals and work hard to be a champion… but it’s just one of those things.
“Things happen in life, so when it’s confirmed or whatever, if I need to give back my gold medal I’d have to give it back, it’s not a problem for me.”
Usain Bolt is the fastest 100 metre sprinter ever to have lived.