I dunno - Mohammed Ali didn't 'win with grace' and he is most definitely a true champion in my books.
There are exceptions to every rule. Usain Bolt is an incredible talent and I admire him very much for that (truly)...but he is no Mohammed Ali.
No - I didn't suggest he was an equivalent to Mohammed Ali - different sports, different times, different challenges - they aren't directly comparable. Ali's is arguably a singular story in all of sport - and one with significant dimensions beyond sport. There really is no equivalent that I can think of.
But neither Bolt nor Ali could be described as displaying quiet dignity in victory. In that respect, they are similar. If Ali can be a true champion while loudly and repeatedly proclaiming "I am THE GREATEST" (not to mention his uncountable displays of bravado and showboating) then it's kind of hard to characterize Bolt's "I am a Legend" statement and post-race antics as wretched excess unbefitting a true champion. That wouldn't be so much identifying an exception a rule, as arbitrarily applying different rules to different people.
That proves the point I think. Since you cannot shorten the distance in the 100m by stepping on the line (since the 100 is run in a straight line rather than around a corner) the rule is discretionary for that race. That still leaves your point, though, about why stepping on the outside line of the relay is an automatic DQ. Might just be an attempt to keep clear bright line rules rather than separate rules for separate violations.
Fair enough. And the bottom line is that it is a rule known to all and applied to all. Props to the Canadian runner for owning up and admitting he broke the rule and not complaining about the consequences. I just felt sick for them - they really overachieved to get that bronze only to have it wiped away on what I see as a harsh technicality.