Mo Farah has furiously claimed he only stayed with disgraced coach Alberto Salazar because he was lied to.
Athletics guru Salazar has been hit with a four-year ban from the sport after the US doping agency found him guilty of several violations.
Farah's career has been dogged by suggestions he had been part of Salazar's doping programme after a BBC Panorama documentary first shed light on the coach's perceived wrongdoings in 2015.
Four-time Olympic gold medallist Farah cancelled a track event in Birmingham at the time, but claims he flew straight to see Salazar for showdown talks.
Farah has always vehemently denied doping of any sort despite remaining loyal to Salazar, but has now spoken out.
Defending his stance, Farah told the BBC: “At the time there was no allegation against me.
“There were allegations against Alberto Salazar.
“I want to be clear and I’ll be honest as I have since day one. I was out in Birmingham racing. I pulled out of the race in 2015.
“I flew to Portland to get some answers from Alberto.
“I talked to him face to face and he assured me at the time that it was just an allegation, this is not true, there are no allegations against you, Mo.
“He promised me and that hasn’t been true.”
Salazar's suspension was handed down in the midst of the recent world championships in Doha - which is when Farah first heard the news of his former coach's ban.
Farah worked with Salazar between 2011 and 2017 on the Nike Oregon Project - which has following the verdict.
A USADA report suggested Salazar was involved in the use of a prohibited method to meddle with doping control processes and the trafficking of the banned substance testosterone. He is now appealing the ban.
The report also named Dr Jeffrey Brown, who was “complicit with Salazar in prescribing excessive and dangerous levels” of performance enhancing substances.
Farah said he “was never given anything and I haven’t seen Dr Brown”, and added: "It’s not my decision to shut down the Oregon Project. It’s Nike’s decision – I’m Mo Farah."
He is due to defend his Chicago marathon title on Sunday, and denied any claims of doping against him and accused others of launching a witch-hunt.
“I haven’t failed any tests, Farah added. "I’m happy to be tested anytime and anywhere. My tests can be used as samples and research. There is no more I can do.
“I have no tolerance for anyone who crosses the line. I have said that from day one.
“There is a clear agenda to this. I have seen it many times. I have seen it with Raheem Sterling. I’ve seen it with Lewis Hamilton. I can’t win whatever I do.”
