?He Took His Punishment?: Years After Doping, Track Fans Defend American Icon Justin Gatlin

Retired American sprinter, Justin Gatlin, is paramount to track and field. After clinching gold in the 2004 Athens Olympics, Gatlin became a household name in the athletics arena. Ever since then, he had been unstoppable. With a multitude of accolades framed on his wall of fame, the champion ended his run in the 2021 World?s Athletics Continental tour. However, with his retirement, he not only took home his accomplishments but also a hoard full of perusal from track and field fans.

During his vocation on the field, Gatlin served competition bans for his involvement with performance-enhancing drugs (PED) on two separate occasions. First in 2006 and then in between 2007 and 2010. Following the completion of his four-year ban, he amassed a series of victories in several athletic meets. However, in 2017, the champion once again fell prey to another doping scandal. In the wake of this, he received mass criticism from the social media cult. But, years after the fiasco took place, Gatlin?s fans herded to defend him from the scrutiny.

Justin Gatlin became a subject of internet perusal

In 2006, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) put a ban on Gatlin from competing in International competitions, as he tested positive for Amphetamines. However, the sprinter pleaded not guilty to the accusations. He claimed that the test results affirmed positive due to the medications he had been taking since his childhood for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).

However, his appeal got reinstated by IAAF, and the arbitration panel reduced the eight-year ban to four years. Then, in 2017, the track and field star once again took the spotlight, as his coach Dennis Mitchell got accused of supplying and administering testosterone and growth hormone drugs. Following this, the star cleared the air around the scandal and fired Mitchell. Now, as six years passed by when things went downhill for the champion, Track, and Field Report recently took to its Twitter handle to share an intrigue. The page penned, ?The world hasn?t forgotten or forgiven Justin Gatlin?.

Nonetheless, many fans flocked to the comment section to defend the Olympian and expressed their strong discontent with the Twitter statement.

Fans and netizens stand in support of Gatlin

Starting a thread of tweets, social media cult wrote…

After his comeback in 2010, the champion stood atop the podium several times and made many heads turn his way. He bagged a bronze in the 2012 London Olympics, then in the 2016 Rio Olympics, the star clinched a silver and took all the praises from his fans. Hence, a netizen underlined his incredible feat and wrote…

Mentioning the medication that he used to take for his Attention Deficit Disorder, a fan shared his perspective and added…

Read More: ?I Have Something Left in the Tank?- Justin Gatlin Settles the Debate on His Retirement

Clearly, fans have nothing but a treasure trove of fortifying comments to defend the legend from the constant internet scrutiny. Though Gatlin had no involvement in the 2017 doping allegations, he caught the spotlight because of his former coach. However, Gatlin isn’t the only one who, amidst all the controversies came back stronger. This year, Sha’Carri Richardson also made a staunch comeback on the tracks after being barred in 2021.

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