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Usain Bolt reveals hamstring tear to dismiss allegations that he faked injury because he was losing

Usain Bolt has responded to accusations that he faked his injury during his World Athletics Championships farewell by releasing information to confirm he tore his hamstring during the 4x100m men’s relay.

Bolt received the baton in third place as he prepared to try and run down both the Great Britain and United States teams ahead, but almost immediately he was struck down with injury that left him in a heap on the track.

Bolt was given a standing ovation as he waved goodbye to fans inside the London Stadium, but there was some who accused the 30-year-old of feigning injury because he was too far behind to win the race.

"Sadly I have tear of the proximal myotendineous junction of biceps femoris in my left hamstring with partial retraction. 3 months rehab.

"I don't usually release my medical report to the public but sadly I have sat and listened to people questioning if I was really injured.

"I have never been one to cheat my fans in any way & my entire desire at the championship was run one last time for my fans. Thanks for the continued support my fans and I rest, heal and move onto the next chapter of my life #Love&LoveAlone."

The posts were soon deleted from Bolt’s account, but his displeasure at being accused of cheating his fans was clear to see.

The Jamaican team doctor originally diagnosed cramp as the cause for the injury, but the X-ray that Bolt posted alongside his comments displayed a hamstring tear that will require three months of rehabilitation, meaning he has no chance of featuring at the Zurich Diamond League meet later this month that had been rumoured to be his final farewell.

It will also rule him out of the Manchester United legends game that is scheduled to take place at Old Trafford on 2 September that will help raise funds for the Manchester United Foundation. Bolt, a lifelong United supporter, had been due to play alongside the likes of Edwin van der Sar, Paul Scholes, Denis Irwin, Dwight Yorke, Phil Neville, Ronny Johnsen, Louis Saha, Mikael Silvestre, Jesper Blomqvist, Quinton Fortune and Dion Dublin.

Jamaica failed to finish due to Bolt's injury (Getty)
Jamaica failed to finish due to Bolt's injury (Getty)

Bolt claimed at the weekend that he believed the delay to the start of the race was the cause of his injury, with the sprinters being kept in the calling room for nearly half an hour as the women’s high jump medal ceremony overran, resulting in the relay starting 10 minutes behind schedule.

Bolt's teammates believe the pre-race delayed caused his injury (Getty)
Bolt's teammates believe the pre-race delayed caused his injury (Getty)

It was revealed that Bolt had concerns about the delay ahead of the race as he told Jamaican teammate Yohan Blake that the wait was “crazy”, and the injury signed off a disastrous World Championships for the world’s fastest man as he could only claim bronze in the men’s 100m final behind winner Justin Gatlin and fellow American Christian Coleman.