Mo doctor can’t dodge MPs’ infusion quiz
AMERICAN anti-doping chiefs have given a parliamentary select committee permission to discuss their ongoing investigation into Sir Mo Farah’s coach when they quiz UK Athletics officials over an infusion given to the four-time Olympic champion. As Sportsmail revealed last month, Farah is under fresh scrutiny after it emerged UK Athletics (UKA) medical staff did not properly record that he was given an infusion of L-carnitine, a legal but controversial supplement designed to boost testosterone levels, ahead of the 2014 London Marathon. And it’s led to the doctor who gave the infusion — current England football team medic and then UKA doctor Robin Chakraverty — to be called along with other officials to face questions from MPs in Westminster next Wednesday. The officials won’t be able to hide behind the fact that Farah’s coach, Alberto Salazar, is the subject of investigation by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). The Americans have provided the select committee for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) with an email stating they are happy for questions to be answered on the subject. Both Farah and Salazar have consistently denied any wrongdoing. As well as Chakraverty, who works with UK Athletics one day a week, MPs have also called head of endurance Barry Fudge and Dr John Rogers, who raised concerns about some of Salazar’s practices after attending a training camp in 2011. UKA chairman Ed Warner has also been called to give evidence, as has underpressure UK Sport chief Liz Nicholl, who can also expect questions from MPs on the current crisis in British cycling. All have confirmed to the committee they will attend. Meanwhile, it has emerged that Russia faces a longer spell in the sporting wilderness than expected after it was found the country had made ‘little progress’ in cleaning up their act following revelations of systematic doping. The appointment of former Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva as head of Russia’s national anti-doping agency was heavily criticised. Rune Andersen, head of the IAAF Taskforce, claimed the appointment sent the wrong message. The World Anti-Doping Agency tried to block the appointment of Isinbayeva, who has downplayed the extent of Russian doping. ‘It is difficult to see how this helps promote an open environment for Russian whistleblowers,’ said Andersen. Russia has been suspended from international competition by the IAAF since November 2015.