MO UNDER FIRE
Mo Farah admitted performance-enhancing supplement use minutes after denying it, says leaked Salazar probe report
MO FARAH has been accused of denying to anti-doping officials he took a series of controversial injections two days before the 2014 London Marathon before changing his story.
According to a transcript of Farah’s 2015 interview with Usada (US Anti-Doping Agency) – which has been obtained by – Farah altered his account with investigators, saying he had forgotten about the L-carnitine injections in April 2014.
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Britain’s four-time Olympic champion was injected with the supplement, which can enhance performance in endurance events and is legal in specific quantities.
It is claimed Farah, then coached by Alberto Salazar, failed to record L-carnitine on his doping control form when he was drug-tested after finishing eighth at the London Marathon six years ago.
The L-carnitine injections were administered by former UK Athletics chief medical officer Dr Rob Chakraverty.
Asked multiple times if he had received the procedure, Britain’s most successful track runner said: “I’ve never taken L-carnitine injections at all.”
Panorama claims that after leaving the five-hour interview, Farah met UKA head of distance running Barry Fudge, who had been interviewed the day before.
Mr Farah understood the question one way and as soon as he left the room he asked Mr Fudge and immediately returned to clarify
Farah's lawyers
Mr Farah understood the question one way and as soon as he left the room he asked Mr Fudge and immediately returned…to clarify[/quote
It was then that the 36-year-old returned to the interview room in a London hotel as the investigators were packing up and admitted he had taken L-carnitine.
According to the transcript made public for the first time, Farah said: “There was a lot of talk before…and Alberto’s always thinking about: ‘What’s the best thing?’ ‘What's the best thing?’”
Investigators accepted this explanation and no disciplinary action was taken.
In a letter, Farah’s lawyers said: “Mr Farah understood the question one way and as soon as he left the room he asked Mr Fudge and immediately returned…to clarify and it is plain the investigators were comfortable with this explanation.
“It is not against (Wada rules) rules to take (L-carnitine)] as a supplement within the right quantities.
“Mr Farah…is one of the most tested athletes in the UK, if not the world, and has been required to fill in numerous doping forms. He is a human being and not a robot.
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“That is relevant…if in fact something was missed from the form. Interviews are not memory tests.”
Fudge has been accused of not disclosing to Usada that he had travelled to Switzerland to collect the legal supplement from a contact of Salazar, Farah’s disgraced ex-coach.
Panorama claims to have emails that show discussion among top UKA officials who expressed concern about whether the injection was safe and within the “spirit of the sport”.
Salazar, who coached Farah between 2011 and 2017, was banned from athletics for four years last October for anti-doping violations. The former marathon runner is appealing the charges.
Dr Chakraverty told the BBC in a statement: “I have not contravened any (world anti-doping) rules, and have always acted in the best interests of those I treat.”
UKA said: “A small number of British athletes have used L-carnitine and, to our knowledge, all doses and methods of administration have been fully in accordance with Wada protocol.
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“The dosage provided to Mo Farah was well within the 50ml limit permitted.
“Full and honest accounts of the process were given in all forums. Any suggestion to the contrary is false and misleading.”
Mo Farah and the Salazar Scandal, Panorama, 8.30pm, BBC One and iPlayer
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