Usain Bolt has returned his 2008 Olympic 4x100m relay gold medal after teammate Nesta Carter‘s positive doping retest resulted in the relay squad’s disqualification, according to the Jamaica Gleaner.
“I’m not happy about it, but it’s just one of those things that happen in life, but I can’t allow that to deter me from my focus this season, so I am focused, but I am not pleased about the situation,” Bolt said, according to the report. “I think I’ve still accomplished a lot. This hasn’t changed what I have done throughout my career. I have worked hard and pushed and done things that no one have done before. I have won three gold medals over the 100m and 200m, which no one has ever done before.”
Bolt previously commented on Carter’s situation in the spring and summer, when it was already known that Carter’s retests came back positive and that they could lose their medals.
“It’s heartbreaking. Over the years you’ve worked hard to accumulate gold medals and work hard to be a champion,” Bolt said in June. “When it’s confirmed or whatever, if I need to give back my gold medal, I’d have to give it back, it’s not a problem to me.”
There have been reports of a possible Carter appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but as of now Bolt is down to eight gold medals.
The record for Olympic track and field gold medals is nine, shared by Carl Lewis and Paavo Nurmi.
Carter hasn’t raced since September 2015. Bolt is about to embark and what’s expected to be his final season (though he has teased 2018), with his first meet set for February in Melbourne.
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