From Inside the Games
Neil Black will leave his role as UK Athletics performance director at the end of this month, after controversial American coach Alberto Salazar was given a four-year ban.
UK Athletics confirmed Black was stepping down from the position but would “fulfill his role supporting Sir Mo Farah at this weekend’s Chicago Marathon”.
Black’s departure was widely expected after the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) banned Salazar for “orchestrating and facilitating prohibited doping conduct” during his time as head coach of the Nike Oregon Project (NOP).
Salazar was also said to have tampered, or attempted to tamper, with NOP athletes’ doping control process, USADA concluded following a four-year investigation.
Black said he would consider his position with UK Athletics after USADA announced the sanction against Salazar.
He is not under suspicion of wrongdoing but has been criticised for refusing to distance himself from the American, who coached Sir Mo to all four of his Olympic titles, and for his unwavering support for him.
After allegations of doping violations by Salazar were broadcast in a BBC Panorama documentary in 2015, UK Athletics conducted a review into the coach but said there was “no concerns”.
