Athletics coach Alberto Salazar has been banned by the US anti-doping agency Usada for doping violations for four years. The 61-year-old American is head coach of the Nike Oregon Project (NOP), which also includes the German world-class Mittelstrecklerin Konstanze Klosterhalfen. The 22-year-old, who will compete at the World Championships in Doha over 1500 or 5000 meters on Wednesday, will not be coached by Salazar in the US, but by Pete Julian.
Salazar's most famous protégés include four-time British Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah and two-time Olympic medalist Galen Rupp (USA). The lock of the native Cuban is the result of four-year investigations. Like Salazar, the endocrinologist Jeffrey Brown, who treated Salazar's numerous athletes, may not be active in competitive sports for four years.
The Usada praised at the announcement of the lock the cooperation of athletes, without naming their name. "They had the courage to unpack and reveal the truth," said Usada boss Travis Tygart. Salazar and Brown had shown in their work for the Nike Oregon Project "that winning was more important than the health and well-being of the athletes they swore to protect."
Salazar reacted "shocked" by the New York Times in a statement by the NOP. He plans to appeal the ban, presumably before the International Court of Justice (Cas) in Lausanne.
Farah: "I am a clean athlete"
In 2017, the Russian hacker organization Fancy Bears leaked a USADA investigation report on the Nike Oregon Project to various media outlets. In addition to Farah and Rupp was also including 1500 -meter Olympic champion Matthew Centrowitz (USA) to.
Salazar is accused in the report of having dangerously increased the performance of his athletes. According to this, it was "almost certain" that the former marathon star had violated anti-doping regulations.
Both Farah and Salazar had rejected any allegations. "I'm a clean athlete, I've never broken the rules," Farah said in a statement.
Klosterhalfen has been training in the USA since 2018 and has been enjoying amazing success ever since. The emerging distrust (read more about Klosterhalfen's development and the doubts) she encountered offensive-understanding in recent months. "If you talk negatively about it, you should make your own picture on site," said Klosterhalfen. She points to optimal and innovative training, best conditions for the athletes, an all-inclusive package: "Oregon was an important step, a stroke of luck for me." It will be interesting to see how she will comment on the new developments on the sidelines of her World Championship run.