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Salazar doping scandal won’t ‘derail’ championships – Coe
DOHA, Oct 2, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – World athletics chief Sebastian Coe insisted
Wednesday the World Championships had not been “derailed” by the Alberto
Salazar doping case after the high-profile coach was banned for four years.
International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) president Coe
said the governing body had reacted swiftly after news broke that Salazar,
the founder of the Nike Oregon Project training group, had been suspended by
the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
“We’re dealing with it. It doesn’t derail the championship,” Coe told
reporters.
“It may for you guys, but in reality it’s not a broader issue for most
people watching the championships.”
Several athletes who are members of the Oregon Project are competing at
the World Championships, and two have already romped to gold medals, the
Netherlands’ Ethiopian-born 10,000m champion Sifan Hassan and men’s 800m
winner Donavan Brazier of the United States.
Coe however cautioned against casting a blanket of suspicion over athletes
who were members of the Oregon Project, warning that to do so risked guilt by
association.
“I’m sorry, I don’t live in that world where you just automatically assume
the worst,” Coe said.
“The reality of it is, the charges that have been laid by USADA are
serious.”
Coe however encouraged athletes to scrutinise their training environments
amid comments from USADA chief executive Travis Tygart on Wednesday that
Salazar had treated Oregon Project runners like “laboratory animals.”
“If you are coached by somebody, you should be absolutely comfortable that
you are working in an environment that’s safe and secure and is not going to
damage your own reputation,” Coe said.
“(Athletes) should want to know what is being done in their name is done to
the highest standards.”
Coe meanwhile defended Britain’s 2012 and 2016 Olympic hero Mo Farah for
his long association with Salazar.
Farah split with the Oregon Project in 2017 after six years, but insisted
USADA’s ongoing investigation into Salazar was unrelated to his decision.
“Mo is an outstanding athlete and as I said at the time, and I get asked
the question, as I do regularly, should this athlete be with this coach?” Coe
said.
“I say the burden of proof can only be on malfeasance. If that’s proven
clearly they shouldn’t and if there are questions that are being raised, the
athletes should ask really tough questions.
“If they remain with those coaches you have to presume they have had those
questions satisfactorily answered.”
BSS/AFP/RY/1947 hrs