Justin Gatlin Won't Blame Noah Lyles For Racing W/ COVID, 'This Is An Olympic Dream'

Justin Gatlin ain't blaming Noah Lyles one bit for hitting the Olympics track while positive for COVID ... telling TMZ Sports the opportunity to secure a medal simply outweighed the other risks -- at least, in his mind.

Of course, there were many detractors in the sports world who felt differently ... as they believed the American endangered his fellow competitors and others in the area when he chose to run the 200-meter final on Thursday in Paris while symptomatic for the coronavirus.

But Gatlin -- a USA track legend -- told us on Friday he would have done the exact same thing ... explaining, "this is an Olympic dream you have, man."

Don't get it twisted -- the 42-year-old didn't downplay the seriousness of the disease -- telling us, "I've had a family member who has passed from COVID." He just said he thinks the advancements in medicine have mitigated a lot of the potential issues.

"This is something that I think with Noah," Justin said, "nothing was going to stop him from getting to that starting line and trying to give this all his best."

Gatlin went on to say that because the Games only happen every four years, he feels Lyles didn't have much of a choice in the matter.

"This is not like the NBA Finals where it happens every year," he said. "Or the Super Bowl where it happens every year. It's never a, 'Well, you'll get 'em next time!'"