Usain Bolt is an unopposed legend of track and field. And he continues to remain one, not just because of his 9.58 world record but also because of his doing it clean throughout his career. Unfortunately, the same is not the case for track and field anymore. Over the years, doping has plagued the sport, just like it has many others. The most recent unfortunate moment was when the International Testing Agency (ITA) ran some tests prior to the Paris Olympics. The results?

The ITA went on to say, “The ITA can also report over 40 anti-doping rule violations stemming from the testing activities implemented on behalf of its partners ahead of the Games pertaining to athletes who were likely due to participate.” Two judo athletes and one athlete each from track and field, aquatics, and boxing tested positive for doping. And Usain Bolt could not be more disappointed. In fact, he was recently on the High Performance podcast, where he went on to give his poignant yet ever-so-relevant take on the issue.

The first reaction that came from Bolt is still disbelief. As Bolt himself puts it, “I could never understand why, you know what I mean? A lot of people don’t want to wait their time.” It sounds like Bolt sees something that the naked non-athletic eye might have missed. Bolt was firm on his stand when he said that the temptation to dope comes from perhaps a lack of not just patience but also dedication. He goes on to offer the Bolt mantra itself as the solution.

“I think if you work on your talent and you’re really dedicated, you need to figure out how you can get better,” added Usain Bolt. And there’s nobody better to say that than Bolt. After all, his story is one of perseverance and not easy wins. “To get to the level I’m at, I struggled throughout the years, but I figured it out: ‘Oh, this is what I need to do; this is what’s going to get me better.’ A lot of times, the work is so hard because it’s not easy—it’s very intense.” And that intensity is perhaps too much to handle for some. However, the intensity in question is not just about physical demands but being able to find mental strength.

As Bolt himself puts it, “It’s full of injuries at times, and some people just don’t want to put the work in. It’s tough, and sometimes the mental error drives you to go, ‘You know what? Let me try this instead of doing the work.'” This nuanced view of doping doesn’t just come from recent Paris reports or any athlete who has recently been accused. In fact, it comes from having to live a shameful experience.

The unfortunate remnants of Bolt’s sprinting past

It is a story that every track and field athlete aspires to live. But no public figure in history has gone without controversy. And the same is true for Bolt as well. One of the worst controversies to hit, however, was definitely the disqualification of the Jamaican team from the 2008 Olympics. The team had four of Jamaica’s best sprinters. There was Nesta Carter, who ran the first leg, followed by Michael Frater, Asafa Powell, and Bolt himself. It is safe to say that this team in 2008 rewrote the chapters of sprinting.

The Jamaican team that year set a world record, clocking 37.10 seconds. This moment of absolute greatness, come 2017, had a fall from grace. In 2017, the International Olympic Committee retested 454 frozen blood and urine samples. These samples were the ones collected during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The results were jarring. The test showed traces of methylhexanamine in both of Carter’s submitted samples. Soon after came the moment of heartbreak.

The entire Jamaican team lost their medals. While Jamaican pride fell, it was Bolt’s record that was truly hurt. Until the moment of disqualification, Bolt had an impeccable record. He had won every event he competed in during the Olympics. But despite Usain Bolt not having doped, he had to pay the price. And that is perhaps why he is ever so vocal about doping and its perils.