OLYMPIC CHAMPION Sir Mo Farah has spoken of his frustration of having to declare he is ‘a clean athlete’ following a leaked US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) report.
The report suggested that his American coach, Alberto Salazar, may have broken anti-doping rules to boost the performance of some of his athletes. Details of the leaked report were published in the Sunday Times.
Both Salazar and Farah deny they have ever broken anti-doping rules.
In a statement Farah, said:
“It’s deeply frustrating that I’m having to make an announcement on this subject.”
He added:
“If Usada or any other anti-doping body has evidence of wrongdoing they should publish it and take action rather than allow the media to be judge and jury,” said Farah, who has won 5,000m and 10,000m gold at the past two Olympics.
JUMPING FOR JOY: Sir Mo Farah celebrating winning the Men’s 5000m final at the Rio Olympics Games
ALLEGATIONS
“I am a clean athlete who has never broken the rules in regards to substances, methods or dosages and it is upsetting that some parts of the media, despite the clear facts, continue to try to associate me with allegations of drug misuse.
“I’m unclear as to the Sunday Times’s motivations towards me but I do understand that using my name and profile makes the story more interesting but it’s entirely unfair to make assertions when it is clear from their own statements that I have done nothing wrong.
“As I’ve said many times be- fore we all should do everything we can to have a clean sport and it is entirely right that anyone who breaks the rules should be punished.”
According to the Sunday Times, the leaked report claims that Salazar used a banned method of infusing a legal supplement called L-carnitine and risked the health of his athletes, including Farah, by issuing potentially harmful prescription medicines to improve testosterone levels and boost recovery, despite no obvious medical need.
Salazar maintains that drug use has always fully complied with the Wada code and that athletes were administered with L-carnitine in “exactly the way Usada directed”.
In a statement UK Athletics (UKA) said it stood by the findings of an investigation published in 2016 that found “there was no evidence of any impropriety on the part of Mo Farah and no reason to lack confidence in his training programme”.
The statement said:
“Usada have not reported back to UKA on any aspect of their investigations but we remain, at all times, completely open and cooperative with them.”
Author: Chief Editor
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