Carl Lewis on India's Sporting Future: "Build Infrastructure, Create Role Models"

Nine Olympic gold medals. Four Olympic Games. Countless records and one unshakable legacy! For more than a decade, Carl Lewis ruled the track and the skies - sprinting like wind, soaring like thought.

From Los Angeles 1984 to Atlanta 1996, he became the face of athletics' golden era, matching Jesse Owens' legendary 1936 feat and rewriting what the human body could do with discipline and belief.

In Los Angeles 1984, he won the 100m, 200m, long jump, and 4x100m relay, an encore of Owens' 1936 heroics. In Seoul, he broke the 100m world record. In Barcelona, he anchored the U.S. relay team to another. And in Atlanta, he soared to an unprecedented fourth straight long jump gold at 35.

Nearly three decades later, the 64-year-old American icon remains as compelling off the track as he was on it. Ahead of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2025, where he serves as the International Event Ambassador, Lewis met the media in New Delhi - and the conversation went far beyond medals and memories.

The man who once made running look effortless spoke about doping, discipline, social media, and the soul of sport. His words were sharp, reflective, and at times philosophical, a mix of hard truths and timeless advice for a world still learning what clean competition really means.

"Test Forever": His Stand on Doping

When the topic of doping came up, Lewis didn't mince words. His voice carried the firmness of someone who's seen how shortcuts can corrode not just careers, but entire generations of athletes.

"Until there's forever fear, we're not going to have it," he said. "They should keep testing - even the old Olympic samples. Forever. " Lewis believes that only relentless, lifelong testing can truly protect the integrity of sport. He doesn't believe in half-measures or moral gray zones, either you compete clean, or you don't compete at all.

"If you're caught, you should be held accountable financially," he added. "Maybe that ends your career, that's on you. "

To him, deterrence has to hurt to work. He's quick to clarify that while more athletes are testing positive, it also means testing systems are improving. But as he notes, "unless that fear stays alive, people will always try to cut corners. "

In India, where doping remains a growing concern in athletics, Lewis's words sound like a wake-up call from a man who's lived the reality of clean excellence.

The Social Media Trap: When Coaching Forgets Its Science

Carl Lewis doesn't use social media to show off. But he pays attention to what it's doing to the next generation. "Every day I see ten or fifteen people online promoting their running," he said, shaking his head. "And 95 percent of them are completely wrong. "

He's seen the flood of "Instagram coaches" and self-proclaimed experts who promise quick results and easy fixes. To him, it's not only misleading, it's dangerous. "The science doesn't change," he said. "But coaches without a background are hurting kids. They don't understand the body, the structure, the movement. "

In his view, real coaching is an apprenticeship built over years, not an algorithmic popularity contest. He worries that too many young athletes, including in India, are learning from 30-second reels instead of trained professionals.

"Thirty years ago," he recalled, "you learned from your coach and your mistakes. Now, people learn from a video, and believe that's the truth. " Lewis's advice is simple: you can't download discipline.

India's Leap: Infrastructure and Role Models Still the Key

When Lewis talks about India, his tone softens. He knows potential when he sees it. "India has enough talent to be a power in sports," he said thoughtfully. "What's missing is the infrastructure. Once the infrastructure and the role models are there, people will want to emulate that success. "

He understands that for many Indian athletes, sport is a path to stability before it's a path to glory. "It's different here," he acknowledged. "Sports gives job security. But to go to the next level, you have to chase excellence, not just employment. "

Lewis believes it all begins with examples - athletes who make it big and show the next generation that global success is possible. "When you see it's possible," he said, "you start believing it's possible for you. "

India, according to him, doesn't lack talent - it lacks visible, supported pathways to turn talent into champions.

The Culture of Fame and Fake Success

Lewis's tone turns serious again when the conversation shifts to fame. The legend who once ruled the biggest stage in sports has little patience for the modern obsession with instant recognition.

"We allow fake things to be important," he said. "The problem isn't sport - it's culture. People care more about being famous than being good. "

He calls the idea of the "Enhanced Games", where athletes could use performance-enhancing drugs openly, a symptom of a society that values entertainment over ethics. "What company would align with that?" he asked. "Who do you sell to, families and kids?"

For Lewis, the danger isn't just in sport but in the mindset creeping into everyday life - the belief that success, like content, can be manufactured. "We live in a world," he said quietly, "where being famous is enough - even if you didn't earn it. "

Talent, Genes, and the Power of Effort

Ask Carl Lewis whether champions are born or made, and he answers with the calm of a man who's seen both. "Some people are genetically gifted - that's just life," he said. "But it doesn't really matter. Everyone has something special. What counts is how hard you work on it. "

In his prime, Lewis wasn't just fast; he was relentless. Behind every world record were hours of repetition, analysis, and small corrections. "Talent opens the door," he said, "but only hard work keeps it open. "

For India's rising athletes, who are often told they don't have the right body type or background, it's a message that hits home - excellence isn't inherited, it's earned.

Sacrifice Over Instant Gratification: His Message to the Next Generation

Before the interaction ended, Lewis left the room with a message that every young athlete could hold onto.

"If life was easy, everybody would be good at it," he said. "You'll have to sacrifice a lot to be who you want to be. "

He recalled his decision to attend the University of Houston in the late '70s, when it wasn't a famous program. "Everyone asked, why go there?" he said. "Because I knew what I wanted. I wasn't afraid to change. "

He explained how the real test of character is sticking with the process, even when it feels like a mistake. "Get away from the prize," he said. "Ask yourself - what is your ultimate goal?"

In an age of instant results and viral fame, Lewis's voice carried the steady patience of a man who has seen every shortcut and knows none of them lead to greatness.

Still Running for What Matters

Carl Lewis may have stopped sprinting, but he's still running - against time, against complacency, and against the erosion of values that once made sport sacred.

He talks about testing, science, and infrastructure, but what he's really talking about is character. For him, greatness isn't just about speed - it's about staying true when no one's watching.