The fallout from the Alberto Salazar four-year ban begins.
While his athlete Sifan Hassan comes back to earth from the highs of a world-class 10,000-metre run during the 2019 IAAF Doha World Athletics Championships, she met with the new low of her coach’s four-year ban. The implications are far and wide, her response as she prepares for her 1500m run:
“I am shocked to receive the news of today’s ruling, especially during this time in which I am fully preparing for my next race in the world championships in Doha. I like to state that this investigation is focused on the period before I joined the Oregon Project and therefore has no relation to me. I was aware of the ongoing investigations when I joined the team and have always had a clean conscience, knowing we are being monitored to the absolute fullest by USADA and WADA. I am saddened by the timing of USADA as it brings my championship out of balance but I will focus all my energy on my next race and my performance in the 1500m. A race that I have worked hard to prepare for and am very excited to race in hopes of winning my second world title.”
