Asked why he had such a negative opinion of Lewis, Bolt cited remarks by the five-time U.S. Olympian.
"All the drug stuff,"Bolt said. "For an athlete to be out of the sport and to be saying that is really upsetting."
Earlier in the same press conference, a U.S. reporter began to ask Bolt a doping question about the Jamaican track team and erroneously referred to it as "the Jamaican drug team." The reporter then quickly corrected himself and asked if the public could believe the Jamaicans were a clean team.
"Without a doubt," Bolt said, gesturing to his teammates Yohan Blake and Warren Weir, who captured silver and bronze in Thursday’s 200 meters. "These guys train hard."
At one point during the press conference – before his remarks about Lewis – Bolt was asked who he would rather be if he had the choice, Lewis or Jesse Owens. Bolt said Owens, remarking that he had a great deal of respect for the U.S. Olympic icon.
"I'm going to say something controversial. Carl Lewis – I have no respect for him," Bolt said. "The things he says about the track athletes are very downgrading. I think he's just looking for attention, because nobody really talks about him. I've lost all respect for him. All respect."
The reigning 100- and 200-meter Olympic gold medalist blasted Lewis in his press conference Thursday, ripping the former U.S. champion for remarks Lewis has made about the Jamaican team and doping in track.
