UK Athletics to independently review handling of Alberto Salazar and the Nike Oregon Project – VegasOdds.com News

UK Athletics has begun proceedings on an independent review of their own handling of the relationship between the now-disbanded Nike Oregon Project and the disgraced trainer Alberto Salazar.

This isn’t the first time that the American has been looked into after a 2015 decision was made stating that there was ‘no reason’ to remove the British athletes from his training. The decision was met with backlash after it was announced that Salazar had breached anti-doping regulations.

Salazar’s Fall From Grace

The reputation of the American has taken a nosedive over recent years, and he was banned from training any athletes back in October. The ban will last for four years, while Nike also closed down the Oregon Project as part of the repercussions.

However, it was recently revealed that the American would be appealing the ban, as he hopes that he could get it overturned. The chances of that remain slim, and many are frustrated that he is even attempting to clear his name.

Sarah Rowell, who chaired the review into the Oregon Project also leads the UK’s Athletics’ Performance Committee. She was speaking recently about the ongoing proceedings.

Rowell said: “There has been much written about what the Oregon Project review looked into, found or concluded in 2015, and I, therefore, welcome this review as an opportunity to establish the full facts and for those facts to be published for all to see.”

This new review will also examine whether the UK Athletics reacted appropriately to the leaked report from the US Anti-Doping Agency report from 2017. That report claimed that the trainer ‘almost certainly’ broke the rules. The new review will be carried out by John Mehrzad.

Effect on Senior Officials

The ban of Salazar from training athletes by the USADA has triggered a host of condemnation towards senior figures in the sport.

One of those that have got caught up in this storm is Neil Black, who was the Performance Director at the project. He claimed that Salazar was a ‘genius’ when they worked together. He swiftly left his role once the verdict was delivered.

However, that hasn’t been the same across the board, as Barry Fudge remains in his role despite being a point of contact between the UK Athletics and Salazar. Fudge continues to be a pivotal figure for Team GB as they prepare for the Olympic Games next year in Tokyo.

Salazar himself was also promoted following the success of Sir Mo Farah at the 2012 Olympics. The trainer was appointed to the UK Athletics’ endurance programme in the hope of leading other long-distance runners to medal success.

Farah has constantly distanced himself away from Salazar and has claimed that he had no knowledge of the American’s doping methods. The Brit ended his relationship with the trainer once he swapped the track for marathons in 2017.

There have also been accusations by athletes that Salazar also failed to take care of his athletes, as they stated that he damaged their mental health with an obsession regarding weight loss.

The American continues to deny any claims made against him regarding the culture at the Nike Project.

Michael Cox As an avid sports fan for his whole life, Michael regularly contributes to the content here at Vegas Odds across all the sports categories. He attends major sports events to provide coverage so our readers always get the latest updates. Michael’s 10+ years of experience in writing for high profile sports and gaming media outlets provides our articles here with a strong competitive edge.