Governing body’s performance oversight group publishes findings and reports it has found no reason to sever ties with Oregon Project.
The future of Mo Farah’s coach as a paid consultant to UK Athletics remained in doubt last night [on Friday], despite it giving its biggest star the all clear to continue working with Alberto Salazar.
UKA yesterday refused to confirm the status of its own relationship with Salazar after issuing a statement that gave the impression it was also standing by a man who has been accused of serious doping offences.
The American, who has transformed Farah into a distance-running great, is under investigation by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) over allegations he plied his athletes with performance-enhancing drugs.
Mo Farah breaks out the iconic ‘Mo-Bot’ after victory in the Great North Run
Despite denying the claims, Salazar has admitted to some questionable practises, including rubbing testosterone cream on his own sons to learn how much of it would trigger a positive test.
UKA chairman Ed Warner admitted in June the allegations against Salazar were so explosive that, if he was a friend of Farah’s, he would advise the double Olympic champions to suspend his own relationship with the coach until the Usada probe was complete.
But Warner and UKA both refused to confirm yesterday whether it had cut its ties with Salazar, claiming Usada had instructed it to say no more than was in a statement issued yesterday detailing some of the findings of an inquiry into the scandal by its Performance Oversight Group.
It read: “In July, we said that there was no evidence of any impropriety on the part of Mo Farah and no reason to lack confidence in his training programme. The oversight group have restated that view today. They have also found no reason to be concerned about the engagement of other British athletes and coaches with the Oregon Project.
“The review established that the vast majority of the endurance program’s interaction with the Oregon Project is, in fact, focused on Mo Farah, with very little other UK Athletics-related activity. Coaching and support for Mo Farah will remain the focus of our engagement with the Oregon Project.
“The oversight group has made a number of organisational and procedural recommendations which UK Athletics’ performance director Neil Black will take forward and implement over the coming months.
“Obviously, since our review was set up, Usada announced that it was conducting an investigation into allegations made in respect of staff within the Oregon Project. Usada is clearly the right body to look at anti-doping issues.
“They have asked us not to give any further details of our review until their work has concluded. We respect their request and are, of course, giving them our fullest support and co-operation.”
Representatives for Farah declined to comment but he confirmed his intention to remain loyal to Salazar after rounding off his rollercoaster season with consecutive victories at the Great North Run on Sunday.
There is no suggestion the 5,000 metres and 10,000m champion has doped since joining the NOP four years ago but his training partner and London 2012 silver medallist Galen Rupp has been accused of doing so.
He denies the allegations.
