Who is Alberto Salazar, what are the allegations against Mo Farah’s coach and which other athletes has he worked with?
A leaked report has rocked the leading athletics coach
MO Farah’s coach is under fire after being accused of using banned drug infusions.
According to a report leaked to the Sunday Times, Alberto Salazar gave Farah and five other runners at Nike’s US training camp a research supplement boosting testosterone.
Who is Alberto Salazar?
Alberto Salazar is a former long-distance runner, born in Cuba, who has gone on to become a world class athletics coach.
In 1981, he won the New York City marathon, which he managed to complete in 2 hours, 8 minutes and 13 seconds.
Salazar also won the race in 1980 and 1982, but the 1981 time was his career best.
In 1982 he also claimed 1st place for the Boston Marathon.
During his career he did the 5,000 metres in 13 minutes and 11 seconds, and the 10,000 metres in just over 27 minutes.
After retiring from competing himself, he moved into the world of coaching and is the head coach of the Nike Oregon Project in Portland, Oregon.
When was Salazar first plunged into controversy?
The coach was named in June 2015 by BBC Panorama as being involved in allegations about doping.
Several athletes gave testimony about his alleged conduct at the Nike Oregon Project.
He denied any wrongdoing.
What do we know about the allegations?
A leaked report, thought to have been initially obtained by Russian hackers before being sent to The claims that Salazar gave Mo Farah - alongside other athletes - a research supplement which boosted testosterone.
The supplement is based on chemical L-carnitine.
It was so effective that Salazar even boasted about it to drug cheat Lance Armstrong in an email.
He told Armstrong: "Lance call me asap! We have tested it and it’s amazing."
The supplement is not illegal, however infusions of more than 50ml in the space of six hours are prohibited, and the leaked report - penned by the United States Anti-Doping Agency - reveals that these L-carnitine infusions “almost certainly” broke anti-doping rules.
Who has he trained?
Alongside Mo Farah, Salazar has trained athletes such as London 2012 silver medallist Galen Rupp.
He was also a pacesetter for cyclist Lance Armstrong, explaining why they would have been in touch as detailed in an email featured in the leaked report.
Salazar has also worked with long-distance runner Kara Goucher, who came 10th in the London 2012 marathon.
How has Mo Farah responded?
The athletics star took to Facebook to distance himself from the allegations surrounding his coach.
He wrote: "It's deeply frustrating that I’m having to make an announcement on this subject.
"I am a clean athlete who has never broken the rules in regards to substances, methods or dosages and it is upsetting that some parts of the media, despite the clear facts, continue to try to associate me with allegations of drug misuse.
"I’m unclear as to the Sunday Times’s motivations towards me but I do understand that using my name and profile makes the story more interesting but its entirely unfair to make assertions when it is clear from their own statements that I have done nothing wrong.
"As I’ve said many times before we all should do everything we can to have a clean sport and it is entirely right that anyone who breaks the rules should be punished.
"However, this should be done through proper process and if USADA or any other Anti-Doping Body has evidence of wrongdoing they should publish it and take action rather than allow the media to be judge and jury."
