Usain Bolt insists he cannot save track and field from doping on his own and has called on his fellow athletes to take a stand against drug cheats.

With the World Championships set to begin Saturday in Beijing, the build-up to the event has been clouded by questions relating to doping within the sport.

The International Association of Athletics Federation — which elected Sebastian Coe as its new president Wednesday — has defended its record against doping, but Bolt says more needs to be done by clean athletes to "save the sport."

"[Doping has] really taken center stage," said the six-time Olympic champion sprinter. "All I've been hearing is doping, doping, doping, all the questions have been about doping.

"It's sad that it's been at the forefront for the World Championships and not the competition. There's nothing I can do about it though.

"People are saying I need to win for the sport, but there's a lot of other athletes out there running clean and who have run clean throughout their whole careers.

"I can't do it by myself; it's a responsibility of all the athletes to take it upon themselves to save the sport and go forwards without drug cheats.

"It's not just on me but all the other athletes."