Legendary distance runner Haile Gebrselassie today advised world leaders in athletics not to be bogged down by the unprecedented doping crisis that has hit the sport but to seize the opportunity and clean up the sport to the hilt.
Ethiopian Gebrselassie, who is here in India to grace the New Delhi Marathon on Sunday, also asserted that athletics will come out stronger from the controversy that emerged from the Russian doping scandal.
"I think it (the unearthing of widespread doping in Russia) is bad as well as good. It's bad because people are shocked by the news of this scandal. It's good in the sense that we have a chance to clean up the sport," 43-year-old Gebrselassie, who won a gold medal each in the 1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, told PTI today.
"We are lucky in that sense and we have to seize of the opportunity. The president (of the IAAF) and the Executive Council is working very hard. They are having a thorough investigation into the issue (scandal) and I think athletics will be a clean sport and it will come out stronger," he said on the sidelines of an event, organised by footwear major adidas who brought him here.
"Even in my country Ethiopia, we have passed strong laws with tough punishment like sending offenders to prison and making doping a criminal offence," Gebrselassie, who is considered by many as the greatest distance runner of all time, said.
Talking further about the state of world athletics, he said, "The IAAF is looking at new ideas and coming up with new competitions for more spectators to come out and watch and that will make athletics grow further."
Gebrselassie will grace New Delhi Marathon, which will be flagged off by Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar.
Asked if he knew about Tendulkar, he said, "I know he (Tendulkar) is a big person in India, and the person himself is also big. I know Indians are crazy about cricket. It's the same thing in Ethiopia and Ethiopian people are crazy about athletics. I am not a cricket fan but I sometimes watch the game once in a while. It's a little amusing how they count the runs."
Gebrselassie has also won a gold medal each in 10,000m race in successive World Championships from 1993 to 1999. He had broken 27 world records in different long distance races ranging from 5,000m to marathon in his illustrious international career spanning more than 20 years (1993 to 2013). He is currently the president of Ethiopian Athletics Federation.
India is considered laggards in athletics but
Gebrselassie felt the country just needs a trigger to make it big at the world stage. He has graced Mumbai Marathon in 2013 and Bangalore Marathon in 2014.
"There is a lot of talent and potential in India. I am not joking, I am serious. It may be difficult to find the first athlete who will win a medal (in Olympics or World Championships). But once such an athlete comes up it will be a matter of time to produce many more. You only need a spark. I don't believe that people who live very close to Himalayas cannot become top-class long distance runners," he said.
"The only problem is you (Indian authorities) don't tap on elite athletes. I have been to marathon events (in Bangalore and Mumbai). This one (New Delhi Marathon) is a new one and many people are registering. Bangalore was amazing when I was there last time. The same in Mumbai. After two years, things are growing very fast in India. You have two Indians in Rio Olympics marathon. That is great."
He refused to compare long distance runners of different eras and said he does not agree to the tag of the greatest of all times given to him by many.
Asked if double gold medallist in both 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics, Mo Farah can be compared to him, Gebrselassie said, "Everyone has their time. How can you compare me with Bekele (his great compatriot Kenenisa Bekele who currently holds world records in both 5,000m and 10,000m) and Mo Farah. It's unfair to compare athletes of different eras.
"I did well in my time and it is now Mo Farah's time. I don't say I am the greatest long distance runner of all time. Doing that would devalue the achievements of other athletes."
Mo Farah won the gold in 5,000m and 10,000m in both 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games.
Asked about his views on many African-origin athletes becoming citizens of West Asian countries and winning medals in global events, he said, "I don't say it is good or bad but you can no longer do this now. The IAAF has frozen this (transfer of allegiance) earlier this month.
"But the question is do you want an Ethiopian competing for India and win medals? I think you will not want it. I don't feel good if an athlete of one country taking shifting allegiance to another country and win medals."
Asked if the 2 hour barrier in men's marathon race can be breached in the near future, Gebrselassie, a one-time world record holder in marathon, said, "It will be tough but will happen eventually. I don't know when will this happen. But longer it takes it will be better for the sport.
"It's good for the sport if you keep on chasing (for the record) for some time than it is broken in quick time. I will be happy if it's broken in 10-15 years but not in the next 6-7 years.
