Olympic champ Farah’s coach Salazar in doping claim denial
BRITISH double Olympic champion Mo Farah’s coach Alberto Salazar was at the centre of a doping row last night after it was claimed he helped top American distance runner Galen Rupp to cheat.
It was alleged that Salazar, a former athlete and now head coach at the prestigious Nike Oregon Project, oversaw Rupp’s use of testosterone, a banned substance, and asthma drug prednisone.
There is no suggestion that Farah, who won 10,000m and 5,000 gold at the London 2012 Games, has doped. Salazar, 56, and Rupp, 29, both strenuously deny any wrongdoing.
Farah said: “I have not taken any banned substances and Alberto has never suggested that I take a banned substance. From my experience, Alberto and the Oregon project have always followed Wada rules.”
None of the Nike Oregon Project’s athletes has ever failed a drug test. Salazar said the accusations against him were “based upon false assumptions and half-truths”.
Rupp, second to training partner Farah in the 10,000m in London three years ago, said: “I have not taken any banned substances and Alberto has never suggested that I take a banned substance.”