European 5000m champion arrested in doping raid
This file photo taken on July 10, 2016 shows Spain's Ilias Fifa celebrating during the medal ceremony of the men's 5000m final at the European Athletics Championships at the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam on July 10, 2016. Spain's Ilias Fifa, European champion of the 5,000m race in 2016, was detained on October 25, 2017 in Barcelona as part of an anti-doping operation. PHOTO | KOEN VAN WEEL |
What you need to know:
- Fifa, born in Morocco but who has represented Spain since 2015, was arrested at his home on Wednesday morning in Santa Coloma de Gramenet on the outskirts of the Catalan capital.
- Fifa took advantage of Mo Farah's absence to claim European gold at the 2016 European Championships in Amsterdam.
MADRID
Reigning European 5000m champion Ilias Fifa was arrested in Barcelona on Wednesday as part of a doping probe, sources of the investigation confirmed.
Fifa, born in Morocco but who has represented Spain since 2015, was arrested at his home on Wednesday morning in Santa Coloma de Gramenet on the outskirts of the Catalan capital.
The 28-year-old is just one of a number of arrests being carried out in operations "for crimes against public health and the use of medications with great danger to health" said a statement from the Catalan High Court of Justice.
The Court also confirmed the operation carried out on Wednesday began with a police investigation back in June.
Fifa took advantage of Mo Farah's absence to claim European gold at the 2016 European Championships in Amsterdam.
That had been the crowning glory in an inspiring rise to fame as Fifa arrived in Spain 11 years ago as an immigrant hiding in a truck.
