Doping claims in leaked report

Usada probe Olympic coach

BRITAIN’S Olympic champion Mo Farah’s coach has been accused of using prohibited drug infusions to improve the performance of his runners, the Sunday Times reported, citing a leaked US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) report.

The 2016 report also accused coach Alberto Salazar of abusing prescription medicines for his athletes at the Nike training centre in Oregon.

Attempts to reach Salazar for comment were unsuccessful. Salazar denied similar allegations in 2015.

The Sunday Times said the report was leaked by the “Fancy Bears” hacking group.

Usada on Saturday confirmed the document appeared to have been leaked but would not comment on the report’s conclusions or accusations.

“Usada has prepared a report in response to a subpoena from a state medical licensing body regarding care given by a physician to athletes associated with the Nike Oregon Project,” Communications Manager Ryan Madden said.

“We understand the licensing body is still deciding its case and as we continue to investigate whether rules were broken, no further comment will be made.” The Sunday Times said Farah and other athletes coached by Salazar were given infusions of a research supplement based on the chemical Lcarnitine and that one coach who was given a high dosage said it was as effective as illegal blood doping.

It said Salazar also emailed disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong touting the benefits of Lcarnitine. Salazar, who worked with Farah from 2011, was accused of violating anti-doping rules in a BBC documentary in 2015, including allegations he gave 2012 Olympic 10 000m silver medallist Galen Rupp the banned anabolic steroid testosterone. Farah was exonerated by UK Athletics.

According to the leaked document, Salazar took “egregious risks” and abused prescription rules by persuading Farah to take potentially dangerous doses of permitted vitamin D prescription drugs believing it would boost his performance through increased testosterone levels. — Reuters