Farah faces parliamentary probe

BRITISH MPs will ask questions about Mo Farah’s U-turn over whether he took L-carnitine before the 2014 London Marathon when the new Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee meets next week. Farah is in the spotlight again following BBC Panorama’s exposé of how he changed his story when talking to American investigators about the controversial injections. As a result of the revelations about Farah changing his story, a number of MPs want to reopen the select committee inquiry, convened three years ago, into doping in sport. But the select committee’s new chairman, Julian Knight, may resist the clamour for a recall. Farah, the four-time Olympic champion, could also be questioned by the UK Anti-Doping Agency if new evidence emerges, but UK Athletics have indicated they will not open an investigation despite the furore. The injections were arranged for Farah by his then coach, Alberto Salazar. Last year, Salazar was banned by US Anti-Doping for several offences. Salazar had been working for UKA as a consultant between 2013 and 2017 and now Jo Pavey, the former European 10,000 metres champion, wants the independent review into UKA’s handling of the Salazar affair to include his input into the organisation during his time as a consultant. Panorama included claims from American runner Ari Lambie that Salazar sent her to Dr Jeffrey Brown, who allegedly put her on thyroid medication even though there was no medical need. ‘My concern would be over whatever might have happened when Alberto Salazar was a consultant,’ Pavey told Sportsmail. ‘My view is that thyroid meds should be banned for those who do not have a medical need.’ Thyroid medications are not on the anti-doping banned list. But in November, Sportsmail reported the concerns of some British athletes that legal thyroid treatments may have been used by UKA as a way of obtaining marginal improvements. UKA have denied wrongdoing, insisting they only recommended treatment when medically necessary. There is no suggestion that the medications have been used to enhance performance. Toni Minichiello, the former coach of Olympic gold medallist Jessica Ennis-Hill, raised concerns at a recent UKA members’ council. Funding body UK Sport is expected to take the BBC claims into account during their review into UKA.