
London, August 8: IAAF President Sebastian Coe's controversial statements against the 100M world champion Justin Gatlin has come drawn flak from the American sprinter's agent.
After Gatlin beat fancied Usian Bolt to win the blue riband event of the ongoing World Championships in London, Coe had told British media that two-time drugs cheat Gatlin's victory in the sport's most high profile event in London, which was watched by over eight million viewers in Britain, was not the 'perfect script'.
However, Gatlin's agent Renaldo Nehemiah, a former 110M hurdles world record holder, was critical of Coe's remarks.
"I take offence to, with all respect, Lord Coe," he told the BBC. "I don't condone doping but Justin Gatlin is not the poster child for it.
"He's done his time, he plays by the rules, the IAAF reinstated him. They said if you come back we should accept that.
"So to put a narrative out that it's just Justin Gatlin and he's the bad guy, it's really not fair. "It's inhumane. It's unsportsmanlike." .
British athletics legend Coe, a two-time 1500M Olympic champion had said prior to being elected as IAAF president he felt 'queasy' about dopers returning and winning titles, remarked he wasn't very excited about the prospect of placing the gold medal around Gatlin's neck.
Nehemiah said Coe and the IAAF should be more gracious and accept their rules allowed athletes like Gatlin to get a chance at redeeming themselves.
"Lord Coe's a part of the IAAF who set the rules, who set out the punishments, and when you serve the punishment you are supposed to be reinstated, which these athletes who have offended and abused some of these rules have, and if you don't want them in you should change the rules," said Nehemiah.