Farah to sever Salazar ties if doping accusations proven

LONDON — Mo Farah has urged whistleblowers who have spoken out about Alberto Salazar to go to the authorities, and has insisted he will ditch his coach if any offences are proven.

Speaking candidly in public for the first time in three weeks, the Briton, a double Olympic champion in the men’s 5,000m and 10,000m, said that he was desperate to “get to the bottom” of the doping allegations surrounding Salazar because they are “killing me and my family”.

Farah, who said previously that his reputation was being “dragged through the mud”, also questioned why he was being chastised for missing two drugs tests and revealed that he had passed 148 tests since 2007, including 103 since he won his two gold medals at London 2012.

Up to 19 people are believed to have testified against Salazar since various allegations were made at the start of last month, and UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) and the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) have launched investigations.

Despite receiving assurances from Salazar that he had not flouted any doping regulations, Farah is unconvinced and will walk away if anything is proven.

“I believe in him but there’s no point in me just believing him, he needs to prove it,” Farah told Sky Sports News. “I want those people (speaking out) to go to the right authorities. Let’s get to the bottom of this. It’s killing me and my family. If more people come out, and it’s proven that he has crossed the line, I’m the first person out. Trust me on this because I work hard every day and put my body through hell.

“Every year, seven months of the year I’m away from my family. I miss my kids’ birthdays, our anniversary. Those are times I can never get back and that really kills me. So to be labelled something you are not, to have people label me as a cheat, it’s not fair and it’s not right. If I am a cheat, prove that I am a cheat. Or just leave me alone.”

While a number of former Nike Oregon Project athletes have claimed Salazar encouraged them to take performance-enhancing drugs or thyroid medication, Farah said that his coach had never asked him to do so, reiterating he is “100 per cent clean”.

Salazar has also been accused of abusing asthma medication and Farah revealed he suffers from the condition, although he insisted he has taken “normal” medication — rather than anything that requires a therapeutic-use exemption — since childhood.

One source with knowledge of Farah’s medical history confirmed to The Daily Telegraph that he recalled the athlete being on asthma medication prior to joining Salazar in 2011.