The Editor, Sir:

In the Sports Illustrated magazine (September 11, 2008), the United States sprinter Carl Lewis gave an interview in which he implied that Usain Bolt may have been under the influence of drugs when he broke the world record at the Olympics.

Lewis did not outrightly accuse Bolt of cheating, but he expressed doubts about the ability of Bolt to run the 100 metres in 9.69 seconds and also at Jamaica's drug testing system.

When one reads the interview in its entirety it is very apparent that Lewis, despite his many achieve-ments, is an angry, covetous, envious, grudgeful, and deceitful person.

Did Carl Lewis expect that any records that he set several years ago will not be broken? Has he ever read the American history of the wild, wild west where some of the fastest gunmen alive then were out-gunned by someone younger and faster?

Lewis then went on to compare the drug testing ability of Jamaica as it relates to that of the US. He forgot that the US did not catch on to Marion Jones until she was busted by the Olympic officials.

Bad taste

It is very bad taste for a former Olympian to be downplaying the performance of another athlete who outperforms him/her. Let others do that dirty work.

In this world, there is good, better and best. And, guess what? Someone will also beat Bolt some day.

Lewis needs to enjoy his retire-ment and stop bad-mouthing other athletes. He is coming off like a sour old grape.

Bolt underwent some of the most sophisticated drug testing offered by the Olympic committee and if he were positive, Lewis would know.

If Bolt is found to be positive in the future then you can talk, but right now you are not looking too good, Lewis.

I am, etc.,

ALVIN BUCHANAN

alvinb@htn.net

Florida