Sport I was right to stand by Salazar on the doping allegations, says Farah
MO FARAH believes he has been vindicated for standing by his coach Alberto Salazar and suggested an investigation into doping allegations against him were likely to amount to nothing.
The 33-year-old admitted he was relieved to hear rumours among the track and field community that a United States Anti-Doping Agency investigation into Salazar had been quietly dropped.
‘There’s some kind of news, saying that: “Oh, everything has been done. There was nothing and they have found nothing”,’ said Farah. ‘All along, I knew anyway and that’s why I stuck by Alberto.’
It is almost a year to the day since a BBC Panorama documentary aired containing allegations that Salazar flouted anti-doping rules including giving testosterone to Farah’s training partner, American Galen Rupp, when he was a schoolboy.
A USADA investigation headed up by Travis Tygart, the man responsible for bringing down cyclist Lance Armstrong, was launched but it is thought they have not yet uncovered sufficient evidence to press charges against the Cuban-born coach.
Asked if he felt vindicated for sticking with Salazar when others — including governing body British Athletics — are thought to have been advising him to ditch his coach, Farah replied: ‘For sure. Things have taken care of themselves and I feel I have moved on.’ Opening his address yesterday with a jokey remark about Arsenal’s attempted signing of Leicester and England striker Jamie Vardy, Farah certainly cut a very different figure to 12 months ago when he sat in the same Birmingham hotel on the brink of tears.
On that occasion, he despaired at what he viewed as his reputation being dragged through the mud.
He then pulled out of the Birmingham Diamond League at the eleventh hour to fly back to his American training base to ‘demand answers’ from Salazar, disappointing thousands of fans who had already bought tickets.
Now Farah, who is favourite to win the 3,000metres at Birmingham’s Diamond League today, insisted he would make it up to them.
‘Last year, I didn’t want to be here, although I had to be here. Now it’s different,’ he said, ‘I don’t want to let anyone down.
‘In that moment, I felt I couldn’t just give what people deserved. But I’m ready to give back now.’
Farah, a father of four, began his track season in Eugene, Oregon, last month over 10,000m but had hoped to go quicker than his 26:53.71 winning time.
But he believes he is in the shape of his life ahead of his distance double title defence in Rio this summer.
He also revealed 2017 would be his last year on the track, with the London World Championships likely to be his final farewell.
‘I love what I do,’ he said, ‘but I miss my kids. I’m away six months of the year, so I’m only there for half their life.’