Radcliffe would be ‘proud’ to join anti-doping team

PAULA Radcliffe would be “proud” to support European Athletics president Svein Arne Hansen’s mission to restore credibility in the sport and promote its growth by joining an anti-doping taskforce.

Hansen, who used to run Oslo’s famous Bislett Games, has invited the marathon world record-holder to join a group of ambassadors who will promote EA’s “run clean” campaign.

In a 20-page report called “Delivering Change”, Hansen said the taskforce will also be asked to “review the credibility of all European records and conduct integrity checks on all European Athletics’ past athletes of the year and other award winners”.

Radcliffe’s husband Gary Lough confirmed Hansen had discussed the idea with the three-time London Marathon champion and said: “She would be proud to help him, particularly as she is already closely involved with the (world governing body) IAAF’s athletes’ commission.”

The full taskforce line-up, and more detail on its work, will be announced at the next meeting of the EA’s executive board on January 23-24, although it is unlikely to start its work until after the EA Council meeting in April.

It is understood the possible deletion of suspicious records will be only part of the group’s remit, with Hansen keen to introduce a “run clean” licence system for athletes but it is bound to attract the most attention given the sport’s recent headlines.

Radcliffe, a marathon, half-marathon and cross-country world champion, was the subject of considerable scrutiny herself in 2015 after some of her blood samples were revealed but she was exonerated of any wrongdoing by the IAAF and World Anti-Doping Agency.