Doping trial set for Somali coach linked to Farah

ATHLETICS: Jama Aden, the Somali coach with links to Mo Farah, is set to stand trial in Spain for anti-doping offences and faces up to four-and-ahalf years in prison if found guilty.

Senior figures in the sport have confirmed to The Mail on Sunday Spanish authorities are pressing ahead with a case against Aden.

The coach, whose star student is multiple world-record holder Genzebe Dibaba, was arrested in Catalonia in June 2016 after months of surveillance. At the time he was escorted to the Arrahona Hotel, where he and his training group were based, and vials of EPO were allegedly found as well as 19 syringes said to be preloaded and ready to use. A physiotherapist was also arrested, but none of the athletes present — around 30 — were positive after subsequent testing.

No date has been set for the trial and there could be difficulties given Aden, who has close ties to the Qatar Athletics Federation, would need to return to Spain.

The case will draw unwanted attention to Farah. Aden (above) was described by British Athletics as an ‘unofficial facilitator’ for Farah when he trained in Ethiopia in 2015, saying his role was to hold a stopwatch and call out lap times. They were also photographed together in 2016.

A spokesman for Farah said in 2016: ‘Jama has no input into Mo’s training whatsoever.’