adminLONDON. — A year after athletics was at the heart of London 2012 Olympic Games the sport’s biennial world championships is in danger of losing its lustre after a series of doping and injury withdrawals have robbed the Moscow event of much of its stardust. True, Usain Bolt is still on board flying the flag and will ensure massive interest but after Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell were ruled out through doping violations and reigning 100m champion Yohan Blake pulled out injured, it seems only a repeat of his false start in Daegu two years ago can prevent the Jamaican taking the title.
Should Bolt fail again, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) faces the nightmare scenario of twice-banned doper Justin Gatlin being crowned world champion to cap off an horrific summer doping deluge that has again dragged the sport into the gutter.
Olympic 1 500 metres champion Asli Cakir Alptekin is one of dozens of Turkish athletes to fail recent tests while host nation Russia has more than 40 currently serving bans – as well as several more back in action having served their time for positives.
Olympic champion and world 800 record holder David Rudisha will be watching from home as he nurses a knee injury but, according to Kenya’s former Olympic champion Kip Keino, several of the country’s other leading athletes are also opting to sit out the championships to stay fresh for potentially more lucrative appearances in the Diamond League and city road races. — SuperAthletics.
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