I could always say I represented the clean athletes,' says Edwin Moses

Mumbai: American track legend Edwin Moses says what has happened in athletics, which has been hit hard by corruption and doping scandals, was a travesty of justice.

"I am the chairman of the US anti-doping agency. Going back to the 70s and 80s, I was one of the athletes who believed in true sports. I never took medical supplements but believed in diet and exercising. I could always say I represented the clean athletes," said the two-time Olympic 400m hurdles champion.

Moses, who was unbeaten in the low hurdles for 122 consecutive races, including 107 finals, addressed the media ahead of Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon (to ich he's the Event Ambassador.

"It's been my philosophy that I don't want my daughter or yours to be in a sport, it can be gymnastics or basketball - it doesn't matter, where they have to use drugs to be competitive. That will always be my philosophy," he said.

The 60-year-old Ohio-born former athlete, who won the gold medal in 400m hurdles in 1976 as a 20-year-old with a world record time and then regained it eight years later in Los Angeles, also hit out at the athletics governing body without naming it, for the sport's current plight.

Moses is the international brand ambassador in SCMM 2016. (Photo: DC)

"I think the federation has let the athletes down. Athletes deserve a federation to be accountable. Federation owes a lot to the athletes. I think it's a travesty what's happened," he said in a hard-hitting statement after appearing to be reluctant to talk on the subject initially.

"From an athlete's point of view it is disgusting. We have to make sure anybody and everybody — athletes, coaches, federation — is accountable. Everyone has to have the same amount of accountability," added Moses who also won two world championships and was unbeatable from 1977 to 1987.