An athlete who made doping allegations against leading coach Alberto Salazar in a BBC investigation says more people have come forward with information since the claims were broadcast.
Advertisement
“I understand that if you read it through it looks like I’m a liar”.
Goucher, who left the Oregon Project in 2011 after seven years, said she would “welcome” the opportunity to testify under oath on the matter.
Salazar, the coach at the Nike Oregon Project, run by the shoe manufacturing giants to promote distance running, coaches several elite athletes from around the world, among them Farah and American Olympian Galen Rupp.
That would include Farah, who on Friday confirmed he would not sack Salazar as his coach in the wake of the explosive allegations against the 56-year-old.
Rupp, who finished third in the final of the 5,000m on Sunday, said he had sent Usada “tons of documents and had nothing to hide”. “I want USADA to show they work, and I want justice for everyone involved”. Very recently. I thanked them for staying on it, for taking my truth and listening to it and not passing judgment on it and fighting to clean up our sport.
Salazar portrayed her husband, ex- athlete Adam Goucher, as “belligerent” and said he dismissed the couple from his Nike Oregon Project training group.
Goucher said multiple more sources have come forward since she was one of the sources in June 3 reports by ProPublica and the BBC and said she would provide more evidence “in the coming days”.
“There was a lot of fear involved and I didn’t want to have to share that publicly but since this is becoming my reputation, my family’s reputation, the companies I work for reputation, I will have to share that unfortunately”.
Goucher insisted she would continue to fight for a clean sport despite Salazar’s counterattack.
Goucher revealed she had been encouraged to speak to USADA after watching Lance Armstrong’s doping confession to Oprah Winfrey. I believe USADA is doing everything in their power. “I’m being dragged through the mud and it will probably continue but I’m still here, I’m going to keep racing and I stand by my statements and I always will”. Usada is expected to interview other Oregon Project athletes in due course, and its investigation could even include senior figures at United Kingdom Athletics, which employs Salazar as a consultant.
Goucher struggled to hold back tears as she spoke about the scandal after failing to qualify for World Championships, finishing 18th in the 5,000 metres at the US Track & Field Championships.
“I want my son to be able to believe in the sport and the system”.
“It all hurts”, Goucher said of Salazar’s blistering response.
Describing Salazar as “a second father” to him, he said: “I can safely say that if I ever saw one thing that I felt was wrong or whatever, I would be the first to leave”. The truth will come out. Thyroid medication is not banned under anti-doping rules, though there is some evidence that it can help improve performance.
Advertisement
“They haven’t approached me but if they do, I’ll be arms open, willing to discuss and talk about whatever they need from me”.
