Sprint champion Usain Bolt's reptuation won't be tarnished by having to give up one of his Olympic gold medals says the former head of the World Anti Doping Agency, David Howman.
Bolt's team-mate in the gold medal 4x100m relay at the Beijing Olympics, Nesta Carter, tested positive for a banned substance when his 2008 sample was re-tested last year.
The International Olympic Committee has now ordered the Jamaican team to return hand back their gold medals.
Usain Bolt Photo: Photosport
Carter was also a member of the London 2012 relay team which won gold.
Howman, who was director general of WADA for 12 years, says Bolt has been subject to a lot of impromtu and out of competition testing and his Olympic medal haul of now eight gold medals shouldn't be looked at any differently.
"Not in my view...Usain Bolt is one of those athletes who has been in the limelight for a long time and has been tested many many times including a lot of 'no notice' testing and out of competition (testing).
Former WADA director-general David Howman. Photo: Photosport
I don't think someone like him should be (seen as) guilty by association that would be wrong," he said.
Despite that Howman doesn't believe the Jamaican team will have any grounds for appeal to keep their medals and only have Carter return his.
"This is something that has been litigated a few times in recent times with relay teams...and I think there may have been one where they have said no they didn't have to but the IAAF (athletics world governing body) have revised their rules and the rule is pretty plain 'it says once you lose that gold medal, all the people in the team must forfeit them."
Nesta Carter is to lodge an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
- RNZ
