Gatlin Booed again at Medal Presentation

Justin Gatlin was subjected to boos and jeers from the crowd inside London Stadium as he was presented with his 100m World Championships gold medal.
The American, who has twice served a doping ban, pulled off a shock win on Saturday to end Usain Bolt’s reign in the Jamaican’s final individual race.
Bolt received cheers as he was awarded his bronze, but there were sections of the crowd that booed Gatlin.
The 30-year-old Jamaican applauded Gatlin as he was presented with gold.
American six-time individual world sprint champion Michael Johnson said his compatriot had been cast as a “villain” by the media who he said had ignored other cheats.
The 49-year-old told BBC Sport: “At London 2012 nobody booed Gatlin [he won bronze in the 100m final]. When he started getting close to Bolt at the 2015 World Championships we created this narrative.
“We didn’t educate people about all the drugs cheats. I think we have presented him as a villain. I think we need to do a better job of educating all of what has been going on,” stressed Johnson.
In 2001, when he was still at college, Gatlin was given a two-year suspension for taking a banned amphetamine.
He successfully argued this was due to medication he took for attention deficit disorder and was allowed to return to competition after a year.
Then, in 2006 – having won the 100m and 200m double at the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki – he tested positive again, this time for testosterone.
Gatlin was banned for eight years, avoiding a lifetime ban in exchange for his co-operation with doping authorities. This suspension was halved to four years on appeal.
 

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