Salazar doctor denies altering medical records

The doctor at the centre of the drugs investigation into Sir Mo Farah’s coach was accused yesterday of altering medical records before handing them to anti-doping investigators.

Dr Jeffrey Brown, a Texas-based endocrinologist who has treated many of Alberto Salazar’s athletes, is alleged by whistle-blower Steve Magness to have submitted notes to the United States Anti-doping Agency that did not match those written at the time. Brown and Salazar both deny any wrongdoing and have not been charged with an antidoping rule violation.

The BBC and Propublica yesterday published two copies of medical notes detailing an alleged infusion of the restricted supplement L-carnitine carried out on Magness by Brown, on the instructions of Salazar, in 2011.

L-carnitine, an amino acid, is allowed to be administered to athletes in quantities under 50ml every six hours. Farah took the substance legally before the 2014 London Marathon.

Magness’s medical note submitted to Usada suggested a full health check had been carried out on him. However, areas are left blank on the other copy of the note, which Magness claims he obtained in 2015.

Magness, a former athlete and coach who left Salazar’s Nike Oregon Project in 2012, claimed that Brown never carried out the relevant health checks. He said: “I do not recall him going through his normal checks of my thyroid or [anything else]. My speculation is that [those boxes were ticked] to make it look like care for the patient had been given. He might have realised after the fact that when you have a patient, your doctoral duty is to the health of that individual.”

The Texas Medical Board is investigating Brown. His lawyer Joan Bain said: “No one at Dr Brown’s office has inappropriately changed medical records. All records provided to Usada were accurate and provided with the patient’s consent.” She added: “Dr Brown did not infuse any athlete with more than 50ml of an L-carnitine solution.”