LONDON: Usain Bolt has given a &ldquo;thumbs up&rdquo; to the decision to ban the Russian athletics team from the Rio Olympics because of widespread doping.
<img title="Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt is set for his first 200-metre run of the season in the Anniversary Games in London today. Pic/Getty Images" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2016/jul/22bolt-usain.jpg" alt="Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt is set for his first 200-metre run of the season in the Anniversary Games in London today. Pic/Getty Images" /> Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt is set for his first 200-metre run of the season in the Anniversary Games in London today. Pic/Getty Images
The IAAF, world athletics&rsquo; governing body, banned the Russian team last month and that decision was rubber-stamped by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) yesterday.
The Swiss-based body rejected an appeal against the hard-line IAAF stance by the Russian Olympic Committee and 68 individual athletes.
Speaking ahead of today&rsquo;s Muller Anniversary Games in London, the 29-year-old Bolt said the situation was &ldquo;sad&rdquo; but the decision would send a powerful message about clean sport.
&ldquo;For me, if you have the proof and you catch somebody, I definitely feel you should take action,&rdquo; Jamaica&rsquo;s six-time Olympic sprint champion said.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s sad, but rules are rules. I don&rsquo;t make the rules and I don&rsquo;t make the decisions.
&ldquo;If you feel like banning the whole team is the right action, then I&rsquo;m all for it.
&lsquo;Situation getting bad&rsquo; &ldquo;Doping violations in track and field (are) getting bad, so if you feel like you need to make a statement, and this is how you feel like you need to make a statement, then thumbs up.&rdquo;
When asked if it was important for sport to send clear messages on the consequences of cheating, Bolt said: &ldquo;I always feel like it&rsquo;s a good message to show that if you cheat or you go against the rules then we&rsquo;re going to take serious action. This will scare a lot of people or send a strong message that the sport is serious about cleaning up.&rdquo;

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt backs IAAF&rsquo;s strong action against Russia over doping scandal and says it will send clear message to offenders

Usain Bolt on doping scandal: Rio ban on Russia will scare lot of people

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Home / Sports / Other Sports / Article / Usain Bolt on doping scandal: Rio ban on Russia will scare lot of people

Usain Bolt on doping scandal: Rio ban on Russia will scare lot of people

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