LINFORD: ‘RACIST’ COPS MADE MY LIFE A MISERY
LINFORD CHRISTIE has revealed his torment at perceived police racism when he was at the height of his athletics career. Christie, 54, is the subject of an ITV4 documentary tonight, which offers a rare insight into the psyche of one of Britain’s greatest but most controversial sportsmen. He recalls two alleged racist incidents, the first shortly after he won a gold medal at the European Indoor Championships in 1986. ‘I remember when I got my Great Britain tracksuit, I was so proud,’ he said. ‘I walked along Shepherd’s Bush, this policeman started saying, “What’s a n***** like you doing in a British tracksuit?” I went into a chip shop and came out of the shop, and he jumped me, twisted my arm behind my back, and arrested me. The next day they dropped all charges. It was just so stupid.’ Another time, he said, police refused to believe he was the owner of a sponsored car and arrested him. ‘A couple of days later the police dropped a letter which said, “You don’t need to come back any more, we’ve made our enquiries”. ‘I said, “I still want an apology”, and they totally refused.’ Christie threatened court proceedings and the police eventually apologised. The sprinter, who tested positive for banned steroid nandrolone in 1999, is now an athletics coach.
MO FARAH has had his nationality called into question by the Spaniard whose European half-marathon record he broke in Lisbon on Sunday. Fabian Roncero said he still saw himself as the recordholder because Farah set a new ‘Somalian record’. Farah, whose nationality was the subject of a recent spat with fellow GB athlete Andy Vernon, won in Lisbon to shave 20 seconds off the mark set by Roncero 14 years ago. Farah was born in Somalia but moved to Britain as a child. Roncero, 44, said: ‘For me, an athlete who was born in Kenya is Kenyan for life and one born in Somalia is Somalian for ever.’