LONDON: UK Athletics will conduct a formal review into the relationship between coach Alberto Salazar and British double Olympic champion Mohamed Farah, the ruling body said on Friday.

The review, which is expected to be completed by the first week in August, comes after a BBC documentary aired last week alleged that Farah’s coach Salazar and US Olympic silver medallist Galen Rupp had violated anti-doping rules.

UK Athletics (UKA) said it will establish whether its confidence in the Oregon Project, the US training camp where Farah has been based since 2011, is well founded in regard to Farah’s training programme and that of the UKA’s Endurance Programme.

“This review is a serious response to the questions raised in recent days,” Ed Warner, the chair of UK Athletics, said in a statement.

“It demonstrates to all athletics fans the importance we place on ensuring that the high performance system around Mohamed Farah by British Athletics is robust and of the utmost integrity.

“We are taking nothing for granted however, and our independent directors are charged with conducting a rigorous review of that system in a timely manner.”

Farah, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, withdrew from last Sunday’s Diamond League meeting in Birmingham a day after expressing anger over the allegations made about Salazar.

The 32-year-old, who won gold in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres at the 2012 London Olympics, said he was upset his name had “been dragged through the mud”.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2015

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