Leaked report alleges track coach Alberto Salazar illegally possessed testosterone
A USADA report leaked by the Russian hacker collective Fancy Bears includes new allegations against track coach Alberto Salazar, according to the BBC.
The Sunday Times reported last week that Salazar used banned substances to boost his athletes’ performance. The Times report also cited documents from USADA, and found that Salazar was accused of giving runners an amino acid called L-carnitine.
This new revelation by the BBC includes allegations that Salazar illegally possessed testosterone. Salazar’s alleged possession of testosterone gel was first revealed in 2015 and he said in an 11,736-word statement at the time that he has a prescription for testosterone to treat hypogonadism. The newly leaked USADA report says Salazar never provided proof in the form of “laboratory testing records, blood test data, examination notes, chart notes or differential diagnosis” that he is taking it under a doctor’s care.
USADA concluded that Salazar did not have “acceptable justification” for possessing the drug. It also said it has “suspicions and concerns” over Salazar’s decision to personally give massages to runner Galen Rupp when Nike employs its own massage therapists.
Salazar is the head coach at the Nike Oregon Project, where he trains many high-profile runners, including Matthew Centrowitz and Mo Farah.
In 2015, Salazar was the subject of a ProPublica and BBC report alleging he pushed the boundaries on doping rules to gain a competitive advantage by encouraging the use of prescription medication and therapeutic use exemptions. He would allegedly push for use of asthma and thyroid medication for performance enhancement. The report also implicated Rupp, an Olympic silver medalist. The two-time Olympic medalist has never tested positive for any performance enhancing drug and denied any use of banned substances.
