Mo sidesteps serious issue
ARGUABLY the worst thing Mo Farah could have done was to attack the messenger.
A US Anti-Doping report alleges that coach Alberto Salazar gave his athletes intravenous drip infusions which “almost certainly” broke anti-doping rules. That is what an official report is saying.
To blame The Sunday Times for reporting that – as Farah did yesterday – is absurd.
The USADA report alleges that Farah was given amounts of the amino acid L-carnitine. This is a substance which is produced naturally by the human body.
It is widely available as a nutritional supplement, with online companies selling it in liquid, powder and capsule form. You could buy it right now, as if you were ordering food online.
L-carnitine is a far cry from an anabolic steroid. It is used mainly for weight loss because it has fatburning properties. That is not to say you can pop a pill and suddenly have no love handles and a six pack.
It means if you are exercising hard and eating right it might give you a hand.
So what rules have been broken? Well, the World Anti-Doping Agency has banned the use of L-carnitine in amounts of 50ml and over during any six-hour period. The report says Farah, who has won four Olympic and five world titles since relocating to the United States to link up with Salazar in 2011, was given an infusion of L-carnitine shortly before his London marathon debut in 2014 from medical staff at UK Athletics, who were advised by Salazar and his staff. The volume of that infusion, the report says, is unknown. Farah would want to defend himself against such allegations. But to shoot the messenger seems daft. He said: “I’m unclear as to the Sunday Times’ motivations towards me, but I do understand that using my name and profile makes the story more interesting. But it is entirely unfair to make assertions when it is clear from TIP-OFF? Lance Armstrong their own statements that I’ve done nothing wrong. We all should do everything we can to have a clean sport and it is entirely right that anyone who breaks the rules should be punished.
“However, this should be done through proper process and if USADA or any other anti-doping body has evidence of wrongdoing they should publish it and take action rather than allow the media to be judge and jury.”
Salazar said athletes were given L-carnitine in “exactly the way USADA directed”. UK Athletics, speaking on behalf of the doctor who administered the infusion, said: “To our knowledge, all doses administered and methods of administration have been fully in accordance with WADA-approved protocol.”
The report says Salazar boasted to cyclist Lance Armstrong of the “amazing” benefits of the drug.
If the report is to be believed, it suggests that those involved in the big business of sport will try to squeeze every last drop from every possible avenue to be the best.
Are performance-enhancing methods the difference between winning and losing? Doubtful.
They give you an edge over the next person. At least you would think so. Because if they are giving themselves an ‘edge’ too, they might be breaking doping rules, but who is cheating who?