by Our Sports Desk

ALBERTO SALAZAR has demanded that the makers of a BBC Panorama programme alleging widespread doping in his Nike Oregon Project “immediately publish a retraction of their false statements.”

Providing a 12,000-word rebuttal of the BBC and ProPublica findings, the athletics coach insisted he believes “in a clean sport and hard work.”

Salazar slammed the former athletes, contractors and journalists who provided evidence to the Beeb probe, saying: “At best they are misinformed. At worst, they are lying.”

The Panorama show, aired at the beginning of the month, included a slew of allegations against those on Salazar’s Nike roster, particularly star US runner Galen Rupp, who came second behind stablemate Mo Farah in the 2012 Olympics 10,000 metres.

There was no suggestion that British athlete Farah was involved in the alleged wrongdoing, which included the use of banner steroids and other unethical practices.

Salazar said neither he nor the project would permit doping and that all his charges are expected to “fully comply” with the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) code and International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) rules.

“At no time do we use science in violation of the Wada code,” he said. “We strictly adhere to competition and anti-doping rules at all times.

“I have not and will not condone any athlete I train using a banned substance and would never encourage any athlete to use a banned substance,” blasted Salazar.

A BBC statement said the broadcaster stood by the journalism, adding that it was up to the relevant authorities to investigate the claims.

“The detailed allegations were put to Mr Salazar four weeks before the programme aired giving him the opportunity to address them in full,” said the statement.

But US-based investigative journalism group ProPublica struck a more combative tone, accusing Salazar of disputing “several allegations that were not made in the stories or inaccurately describing allegations that were.”

And the group points out that Salazar even admits some claims, such as his testing of testosterone gel on both his sons.
Nike said that its internal review “found no evidence to support the allegations of doping.”

But news agency AP reported on Wednesday that the US Anti-Doping Agency is probing the allegations.

An AP source in USADA said more than a dozen people had been interviewed and the body was “actively pursuing” evidence related to Salazar.

USADA doping investigations are considered confidential and a spokeswoman would only say: “We aggressively follow up on all information we receive in order to fulfill our oath to protect clean athletes and the integrity of competition” without any mention of Salazar.