Usain Bolt says Tyson Gay should have been banned for life

Usain Bolt (left) said the decision to ban Tyson Gay (far right) for one year was "the stupidest thing I have ever heard"

Tyson Gay should have been banned for life for doping, says six-time Olympic gold medallist sprinter Usain Bolt.

Former 100m and 200m world champion Gay was suspended for a year after testing positive for a banned anabolic steroid.

The American's ban could have been two years but was reduced for co-operation with the US Anti-Doping Agency.

"It's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. The message should be: 'If you cheat, you're going to be kicked out of the sport'," said Jamaican Bolt.

Gay's suspension was announced in May 2014 but was backdated to 23 June 2013, the date he tested positive at the US World Championship trials.

The 32-year-old was back in action in June 2014 and over the last year has run faster times than Bolt, the 100m and 200m world record holder.

"I'm not looking forward to competing against Tyson," the 28-year-old added in a Runner's World interview published in the Times.

"I'm not worried about him beating me, it's because I respected him so much. It's a bit like parents must feel when they have a kid who does something bad and lets them down.

"You have to drive fear into athletes, to make them think about the consequences of their actions. If they're getting an easy penalty why would they care?"