BRITAIN’S LONG DISTANCE superstar Mo Farah has today issued a passionate defence against claims and speculation that his double gold performance in the 2012 Olympics was the product of doping.
Farah has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks after the BBC’s Panorama investigation into his coach Alberto Salazar.
Yesterday it emerged that Farah had missed two drug tests in the lead-up to London 2012, but the 5,000 and 10,000 metre Olympic champ maintains that these were ‘simple mistakes’ while insisting that he would never use performance enhancing drugs.
“I have never taken performance enhancing drugs in my life and I never will,” Farah says in today’s statement.
“Over the course of my career I have taken hundreds of drugs tests and every single one has been negative. I’ve fully explained the only two tests in my career that I have ever missed, which the authorities understood, and there was never any suggestion that these were anything more than simple mistakes.
“The last two weeks have been the toughest of my life – with rumours and speculation about me that are completely false – and the impact this has had on my family and friends has left me angry, frustrated and upset.
“In particular, the media pressure on my young family and my wife, who is five months pregnant, is extremely painful, especially as I’m away training for some important races.”
Farah added that he had followed up on his promise to ask serious questions of Salazar after the BBC allegations, but appears happy with the response offered by the coach.
“I went to Portland to speak to Alberto Salazar and demand answers. He reassured me that the claims are false and that he will soon be providing evidence to make that clear. Until then I will not be commenting further on the allegations.”
– First published 13.15
