Mo Farah’s ex-coach banned over anti-doping violations

SIR Mo Farah’s former coach has been banned from athletics for four years for multiple anti-doping violations, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has said.

American Alberto Salazar, 61, was sanctioned along with endocrinologist Jeffrey Brown for “orchestrating and facilitating prohibited doping conduct” while working with the Nike Oregon Project (NOP).

Salazar’s violations included “administration of a prohibited method”, tampering or attempted tampering with athletes’ doping control processes and trafficking or attempted trafficking of testosterone.

The NOP was home to four-time Olympic champion Farah from 2011 to 2017.

Farah said in a statement that he has “no tolerance for anyone who breaks the rules or crosses a line” after Salazar’s four-year USADA ban.

USADA chief executive Travis T Tygart said: “The athletes in these cases found the courage to speak out and ultimately exposed the truth.

“While acting in connection with the Nike Oregon Project, Mr Salazar and Dr Brown demonstrated that winning was more important than the health and well-being of the athletes they were sworn to protect.”

Brown was found to have tampered with records, administered an “over-limit” infusion and to have been complicit in Salazar’s trafficking of testosterone.

Farah’s statement read: “I’m relieved that USADA has, after four years, completed their investigation into Alberto Salazar.I left the Nike Oregon Project in 2017 but as I’ve always said, I have no tolerance for anyone who breaks the rules or crosses a line.”

“A ruling has been made and I’m glad there has finally been a conclusion.”

Salazar moved into coaching after a successful distance running career in which he won the New York Marathon three times, and claimed victory once in the Boston Marathon in the early 1980s.

In a statement released by NOP, Salazar said he was shocked by Monday’s outcome and that he would appeal.- Sky Sports