Usain Bolt: ‘Rio Olympic double may be beyond me’

USAIN Bolt is not worried about tarnishing his career by failing to retain his 100 and 200 metres Olympic titles in Rio de Janeiro in three years’ time.

Jamaican sprint star Usain Bolt meets with FIFA President Sepp Blatter at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich. Picture: AP

“In life you don’t always get what you want,” the Jamaican said after visiting Fifa president Sepp Blatter at the headquarters of football’s world governing body in Zurich. “It wouldn’t be the greatest moment, but I would understand because I’ve had my time, I’ve been dominant for a long time.”

“So, if I get to Rio and it doesn’t happen, I would have to understand because I’m getting older and there are greater athletes coming up,” added Bolt who turned 27 a week ago. “I know the athletes have to work harder to step their game up, and be the best. For me, I’ll be happy for the sport because it would mean it‘s stepping up and moving on.”

Earlier, Bolt, who will compete in the Zurich Diamond League meeting tonight, was handed a ticket for the 2014 World Cup final by Blatter along with a furry toy depicting the tournament mascot, a grinning blue and yellow armadillo named Fuleco. “To go to Rio and win again would be a feat in itself, because it would be the first time anybody has ever won three times in a row, so that would also add to my greatness,” he said. “As an athlete you are always pushing the limit and for me I want to continue pushing the barrier,” added Bolt, who won the 100m and 200m double at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and will be approaching his 30th birthday in Rio in 2016. At the end of the day I want to be remembered among the greatest athletes, Pele, (Diego) Maradona, Michael Johnson.”

Bolt also said he might be “too lazy” to take up a sports administration role after retiring. “I have thought about it, I have to admit I’m slightly lazy, but we’ll see where it goes,” he said.

Meanwhile, two-time European 100m hurdles champion Nevin Yanit has been banned for two years for doping offences, the Turkish Athletic Federation has confirmed. The 27-year-old tested positive for a banned substance during a meeting in Dusseldorf on 8 February this year.

Yanit had already been charged by the International Association of Athletics Federations for doping violations alongside Olympic 1,500m champion Asli Cakir Alptekin.

The TAF issued 31 of its athletes with two-year bans on 5 August for doping violations and the timing of the crisis could not be worse, with Istanbul in the running to host the 2020 Olympics when the decision is made on 7 September. The IAAF confirmed in July it was cracking down on suspected doping issues in Turkey, saying in a statement: “Following concerns highlighted by abnormal biological passport values the IAAF with the national anti-doping agency intensified the testing programme in Turkey, the results of which remain ongoing in accordance with IAAF Rules.”

Yanit won European gold in 2010 and 2012 and finished fifth at the London Olympics.

Russian shot putter Anna Avdeyeva has also been suspended for two years for doping.