MARTIN SAMUEL
THAT is the problem with having principles. People keep expecting you to adhere to them.
No sooner had Ed Warner, chairman of UK Athletics, spoken out against the IAAF for dragging their feet over doping allegations when the opportunity arrived for this country to show the governing body how a proper investigation is done.
The charge is that Alberto Salazar — coach to Mo Farah and since December 2013 a consultant to the UK Athletics endurance programme — is a doper, constantly looking for ways to operate outside the rules.
A Panorama report also claimed that Farah’s friend and training partner Galen Rupp, under Salazar’s supervision, has been taking testosterone since the age of 16. Rupp was a silver medallist at the 2012 Olympic Games.
There has been no suggestion of cheating on Farah’s part but, unchallenged or untested, the association itself harms his reputation. It would taint UK Athletics even more to have their programme linked to a cheat.
Salazar and Rupp deny the allegations but, for now, suspicion remains. This is where Warner comes in.
He was admirably outspoken when discussing reports of systemic drug abuse in Russia and a list of 150 athletes said to have recorded suspicious blood samples.
WARNER’S criticism was that the IAAF choose to let drug investigations drag on knowing that they will lose their power to scandalise over time.
‘I’m disappointed the process is taking so long,’ he said in May. ‘I called for it to be cleared up before the European Indoors in March because that would be the first time a Russian team appeared on the global stage. Craig Reedie, the WADA president, said he hoped it would be before the end of the year.
‘You ask yourself, ‘‘Are things being punted because by the time it comes out they think it will be old news?’’ The lawyers will try to hold it up, but you have to take a risk.
‘Sport needs to wash its dirty linen. That might be painful, but you might come out in a healthier state than if you try to cover up the fact you have a problem. I have the suspicion that the people in power just do not care.’
Warner said he feared the list of 150 names had simply been binned. Those were strong words and it is admirable that a firm stance on corruption — once again — comes from within British sport.
After this week’s events at FIFA it is right that this country remains committed to clean competition, even if those with more flexible moral codes see the British as troublesome and meddling.
But these can’t just be soundbites. When the accusation arrives at Britain’s door, we must live by the code we preach. Otherwise, our critics are right. In our bid to be sport’s police, we are no more than its biggest hypocrites.
It was back in December when Warner first called for swift action over the Russian allegations.
‘We don’t need this in a year’s time, we need this in a matter of weeks,’ he said. ‘We don’t want to go into the 2015 athletics season with suspicion hanging over Russian athletes.
‘People can’t be looking at what they are watching and wondering if they can believe it.’
He was right, of course, but the same applies. Farah is the biggest name in British athletics. Salazar, in his role as consultant, is part of an umbrella organisation that takes in every household name in the sport in the United Kingdom, every star of Super Saturday, every beneficiary of public money to fly the country’s flag in competition.
UK Athletics must announce their own investigation now. They must ask Panorama what they know, sift through evidence, summon all relevant parties for questioning.
The onus is on them to back up Warner’s high ideals, particularly in a summer of high- profile competition, including the Anniversary Games from July 24-26.
The public cannot be watching and wondering about UK Athletics, any more than it can be viewing Russian achievements amid rumours.
It is very hard to confront Farah with questions about his use of Salazar, while the coach is part of UK Athletics, too. The governing body must make sure its own house is clean before inspecting others.
Matt Centrowitz Jnr, an American 1500m runner and silver medallist at the 2013 World Championships, tweeted his response to the allegations against his coach, Salazar. It was a generic picture of a girl, yawning. Yet if athletics continues to believe that fans think dope allegations are boring, that is probably why the Olympic Stadium ended up in the hands of a football club.
Fans are not bored by tales of cheats. They are revolted. In the end, they will not watch and wonder. They will switch off.
‘ Very disturbing allegations tonight,’ wrote Paula Radcliffe. ‘Lots of issues needing further investigation.’
AND, yes, there are bodies to do that, such as WADA and at the very top, the IAAF. Yet UK Athletics should not hide behind them.
In some ways, this genuinely is a good day for Britain’s governing body. It is an opportunity to set a standard, to react in a way that becomes a benchmark for the rest of the sport. If this means challenging, even upsetting, an athlete who is this country’s marquee name, then so be it.
Farah has to understand that in a sport sullied by association with drugs, to be working out of Salazar’s Nike-sponsored camp in Oregon right now places him in an unfortunate position. For the good of his sport he has to be seen to be clean. If that requires him to answer questions, he has a duty to comply.
Rupp is beyond UK jurisdiction, but Salazar isn’t and shouldn’t be, whether he is on the UKA payroll or not. They claim his consultancy services are covered by Nike, but no matter. While he is part of the endurance programme, his behaviour reflects on UK Athletics.
They cannot delay action a day longer and they can’t pretend to be unsure of the way forward. Warner made the right and wrong of it very plain.
Now he needs to show his words were good for more than just a headline.