Spearmon, Felix, Gay weigh in on Gatlin

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EUGENE, Ore. -- Frankly, my dears, Wallace Spearmon doesn’t give a darn whether a court allows 2004 Olympic 100-meter champion Justin Gatlin to run in the Olympic trials.

Spearmon, a 2005 World silver medalist at 200 meters, could be lining up against Gatlin, banned for drug use.

‘It will have no affect on what I came here to do,’ Spearmon said today. ‘If he runs, he runs. I don’t have time to worry about it.’

World champion Allyson Felix, however, admitted she would be uncomfortable gaving Gatlin in the meet.

‘I have mixed emotions,’ she said. ‘Justin has always been my friend, and I wish the best for him.

‘From an athletic performance point of view, it would be a distraction. He would be the focus of a lot of things, and that focus would be on drug-related things.’

Spearmon, however, didn’t think Gatlin’s presence at this meet would be a repeat of 2004, when the presence of BALCO-involved athletes like Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery turned the trials into a circus.

‘We are young, clean athletes,’ Spearmon said. ‘You are either with us or against us.’

Reigning world champion Tyson Gay said today he thought Gatlin was selfish for wanting to run in the trials.

‘Our sport doesn’t need any more negative attention,’ Gay said. ‘If Justin Gatlin so called loves the sport, he should do what is right and let other people have their moment. He already had his moment.’

The international track federation has said Gatlin, whose four-year doping suspension was upheld by sport’s Supreme Court, cannot run in the Olympics no matter if he makes the U.S. Team.

-- Philip Hersh