Beijing: The head of the International Olympic Committee's Athletics Commission Frankie Fredericks hit out on Friday at Jacques Rogge, saying double gold medallist Usain Bolt should be allowed to celebrate how he wanted.
Rogge, the IOC president, on Thursday told the Jamaican sprint superstar to show more respect for his rivals after his showboating antics after winning the 100m final in a world record time.
But Fredericks, a four-time Olympic silver medallist sprinter elected to his new role this month, said it was a unique moment and spontaneous.
"It's the moment athletes have trained for so long and he's making history," he said.
"It's not like a thing you have planned or you have rehearsed. Usain is such a relaxed guy. That's his way of expressing himself, to say I've done something that nobody else has done. We cannot tell a guy who's run 9.69 seconds how he needs to react."
Meters from the line in the 100m, Bolt turned to the crowd and opened his hands in what could be perceived as mocking his seven other opponents and followed it up by making little effort to congratulate them.
Rogge said Bolt needed to mature.
"He is a young man but he should show more respect for his rivals. That would be more in the spirit of the Olympic ideal," he said.
"He should shake hands with them after the finish line. However, he is only 21 and he will learn. It would be good not to have a repeat of the 'catch me if you can' gesture."
British media on Friday quoted Bolt's manager Ricky Simms as saying his runner would never be disrespectful.
"Usain has huge respect for Jacques Rogge. But there is absolutely no chance Usain would ever be disrespectful to other athletes," he said.
"We know how the other athletes feel about Usain, so we're not worried. What you see from Usain is just happiness."
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