World and Olympic sprint king Usain Bolt has said he is “heartbroken” but prepared to give up his 4x100m relay gold from the 2008 Beijing Games after teammate Nesta Carter reportedly tested positive for a banned stimulant.
"It's heartbreaking, for years you've worked hard to accumulate gold medals and you work hard to be a champion, so it's heartbreaking but it's one of those things," Bolt told The Gleaner newspaper on Sunday.
“Things happen in life, if it’s confirmed or whatever and I need to give back my gold medal, it’s not a problem to me.”
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A retest of Carter’s “A” sample from Beijing found traces of Methylhexaneamine, the newspaper said previously, placing one of Bolt’s six gold medals in jeopardy.
The result of retests of Carter’s “B” sample is not yet officially known.
If Carter is subjected to doping sanctions, it could mean Bolt stands to lose his relay gold.
Carter, 30, ran the first leg for Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team in Beijing, which also included Michael Frater, Asafa Powell and Bolt.
The team took gold in what was then a new world record of 37.10 seconds, ahead of Trinidad and Tobago and Japan.
Bolt, who will be eyeing more Olympic glory in Rio in August, said he had sympathy for Carter.
“It must be hard, I can’t tell what he’s going through but it must be hard and frustrating,” Bolt said.
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