Double Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah — under investigation by UK Athletics following a recent BBC documentary which raised questions over the methods of his coach Alberto Salazar — has released a statement on his Facebook account saying he has never doped.
In the run-up to the 2012 Olympics Farah began working with Cuban-American Salazar at his Portland, Oregon training facility but missed two doping tests leading up to the London Games.
UK Anti-Doping rules stated that an athlete who missed three tests in any 18-month period could face a ban of up to two years.
One slip-up occurred in early 2010, before he teamed up with Salazar, while the other took place a year later when Farah claimed to have not heard his doorbell.
“I have never taken performance enhancing drugs in my life and I never will,” said Farah on Facebook.
“Over the course of my career I have taken hundreds of drugs tests and every single one has been negative.
“I’ve fully explained the only two tests in my career that I have ever missed, which the authorities understood, and there was never any suggestion that these were anything more than simple mistakes,” added Farah.
Farah’s American training partner who finished second to him in the 10,000 meter race in 2012, Galen Rupp, has been implicated in the BBC Panorama documentary.
“I am dedicated to clean sport and have worked extremely hard for every accomplishment in my running career,” said Rupp in a statement following the broadcast of the BBC program.
“I expressly told these reporters that these allegations were not true and their sources admit they have no evidence.”
In his Facebook post, Farah described the last fortnight as the “toughest” of his life.
“The impact this has had on my family and friends has left me angry, frustrated and upset,” he wrote.
“In particular, the media pressure on my young family and my wife, who is five months pregnant, is extremely painful, especially as I’m away training for some important races,” said Farah.
A joint effort with investigative website ProPublica, the BBC documentary featured whistle-blower Steve Magness — Salazar’s former assistant — who claimed he saw documents in 2011 indicating that Rupp was using testosterone supplements.
CNN was not immediately able to reach either Salazar or Rupp.
“I have said all along that I believe in a clean sport, hard work and I deny all allegations of doping,” said Salazar in a statement following the BBC broadcast.
“The BBC and ProPublica have engaged in inaccurate and unfounded journalism, with a complete lack of regard for both Galen and Mo.
“Given the time and effort the BBC and ProPublica committed to making these false allegations I hope that media and fans will afford me a short time to show the accusers are knowingly making false statements.
“I will document and present the facts as quickly as I can so that Galen and Mo can focus on doing what they love and have worked so hard to achieve,” he said.
Farah’s statement on social media received waves of support from the public, with over 15,000 Facebook likes and 1200 comments in just one hour.
“As I made clear, I went to Portland to speak to Alberto Salazar and demand answers,” said Farah.
“He reassured me that the claims are false and that he will soon be providing evidence to make that clear. Until then I will not be commenting further on the allegations.”
UK Anti-Doping wouldn’t comment on Farah’s missed drug tests.