UK Athletics give Salazar clean bill of health over Farah

BIRMINGHAM

Alberto Salazar's coaching of Olympic and world champion Mo Farah is not a worry for British athletics governing body UK Athletics they said in a statement on Saturday despite allegations made in a BBC documentary.

The documentary, broadcast on Wednesday, alleged Salazar, 56, had encouraged athletes including America's Olympic 10,000 metres silver medallist Galen Rupp to use illegal substances.

However, UK Athletics said after viewing the documentary there was nothing to concern them about Salazar's work with Farah, who has enjoyed unrivalled success under his tutelage doing the double in the 5 and 10,000 metres at the 2012 Olympics, 2013 World Championships and last year's European Championships.

"Following the broadcast of BBC's Panorama programme on Wednesday, UK Athletics has carefully considered the content," read the statement.

"Whilst acknowledging the gravity of the allegations, UK Athletics can confirm it has had absolutely no concerns over the conduct and coaching methods of Alberto Salazar in relation to Mo Farah or in his role as an endurance consultant."

Nevertheless despite giving Salazar a clean bill of health the UKA statement added its board had met and put in place a group to undertake a "focused review of the performance management system surrounding Mo Farah and the endurance programme, engaging relevant independent experts where required."

The review will begin immediately, and has been "welcomed and supported" by Farah and UK Athletics performance director Neil Black.

Both Salazar, who runs Nike's Oregon Project training centre, and Rupp strongly deny all allegations of wrongdoing and none of the athletes from the project has ever failed a drug test.

The investigation by the Panorama programme centred on the Nike running camp in Portland, Oregon, where Salazar is the head coach.

Steve Magness, who worked as an assistant to Salazar at the Oregon Project in 2011, said he had seen a document showing Rupp's blood chart, which revealed that he had taken prohibited testosterone medication as a teenager.

David Howman, chief executive of the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA), said he believed the documentary's claims warranted scrutiny.
"I would be not only disturbed, I would be very disappointed and that's why I think it needs to be scrutinised by us as an independent body," said Howman.