The controversial athletics coach Alberto Salazar has responded to doping allegations saying: “I believe in a clean sport and hard work. I will never permit doping” and demanding that allegations made against him are retracted.
In an open letter on the Nike Oregon Project website, Mo Farah’s coach, who had remained silent since the allegations on BBC’s Panorama on 3 June that he gave the banned steroid testosterone to Galen Rupp when the 10,000m Olympic silver medallist was a 16-year-old, issued an extraordinarily detailed 12,000-word rebuttal that tackles all the major allegations against his coaching methods.
The statement coincided with reports the US Anti-Doping Agency is investigating Salazar. According to Associated Press more than a dozen witnesses have been interviewed and Usada is pursuing documents and other evidence from Salazar.
Usada spokeswoman Annie Skinner released a statement that said, “USADA takes all reports of doping seriously and we aggressively follow up on all information we receive in order to fulfill our oath to protect clean athletes and the integrity of competition.” Her statement did not directly mention Salazar.
Of his Nike Oregon Project, under which he coaches several of the world’s leading distance runners, Salazar stated: “The Oregon Project will never permit doping and athletes must fully comply with the World Anti-doping Agency code and IAAF rules. We proudly embrace science and technology to give our runners every legal means for success and, more importantly, to protect their health and wellbeing.” He goes on to insist that Rupp “suffers from severe allergies and breathing issues. He is medically diagnosed as suffering from both asthma and Hashimoto’s disease, a thyroid disease. Galen has never taken a banned substance in violation of the Wada code.”
Salazar also challenged allegations that he made athletes take asthma medication to enhance their performance. He stated: “Claims I have manipulated the test for Exercise Induced Asthma are false and the testing referenced is standard protocol as any basic research would show.”
No allegations have been made against Farah, who is also trained by Salazar and is Rupp’s training partner, but the double Olympic champion has been forced to defend his reputation since the documentary was broadcast. Farah recently travelled to Oregon to meet Salazar and seek reassurances from the coach.
Salazar appeared to address the position that athletes under his guidance have found themselves in since the allegations were made. “I am saddened that these false allegations have been allowed to run with little care for the carnage in their wake,” he said. “It is our reputations they have harmed. “Some have tried to console me by saying public attacks like these are the price of success in today’s world. That’s not my world. That’s not the Oregon Project. Here, success is earned with talent, hard work, dedication and fair play … and that’s how it is going to stay.”
Salazar says of the Panorama allegations: “Unfortunately, Galen and I were the ones these ‘reporters’ decided to damn with their ‘publish at all costs’ philosophy. It is our reputations they have harmed. Innocent athletes’ careers tarnished with nothing but innuendo, hearsay and rumour.”
The statement addresses at great length the allegation that Rupp has made consistent use of controversial Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs), under which an athlete can receive a medical certificate from anti-doping authorities to compete while using otherwise banned substances.
Salazar says that Rupp has received only two TUEs in order to compete since 2010. “Galen takes asthma medication so he can breathe normally – not so he can run better,” the statement said.
It also addresses allegations made by Panorama that Salazar shipped a package of medication for Rupp inside a paperback book when he was competing in the UK in February 2011. Salazzar said the delivery method was to ensure the package cleared customs but it contained no substances banned under the Wada code.
The BBC said of Salazar’s statement: “Almost two months after Mr Salazar was first made aware of the allegations, we welcome his more detailed response. We are confident in our programme and that it was right to air the allegations of the witnesses who appeared on it.”British Athletics also responded to Salazar’s statement. UKA said: “The content of the statement will be referred to our Performance Oversight Group for consideration in their ongoing internal review. We emphasise once again that the Panorama programme contained no allegations against any British athletes, nor have any been made subsequently.”
