A key whistle-blower in the case which saw coach Alberto Salazar banned for four years for doping violations says the Nike Oregon Project (NOP) he ran should be shut down.
The decision over Salazar followed a four-year investigation by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and a two-year court battle behind closed doors.
“It [NOP] has to go,” American Kara Goucher, who trained under Salazar between 2004 and 2011, told BBC Sport.
Salazar said he will appeal the ruling.A key whistle-blower in the case which saw coach Alberto Salazar banned for four years for doping violations says the Nike Oregon Project (NOP) he ran should be shut down.
By Dan Roan
BBC sports editor
Two-time Olympian Goucher turned whistle-blower in 2013, making claims of wrongdoing by her former coach to USADA.
Two years later she went public, telling a BBC Panorama documentary that American Salazar had encouraged her to take thyroid medication to help her lose weight after giving birth.
Despite his denials, Goucher’s claims were key to a USADA investigation and she testified at two arbitration hearings.
She now wants the NOP, which was home to British four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah from 2011 until 2017, shut down.
“I feel really bad for the athletes because I’m sure many of them are innocent, but it’s not my decision,” said Goucher.
“If I was Nike I’d be bringing in some new coaches and move on from this Oregon Project, because clearly it had principles not in line with clean sport and we have to just start over.
“These athletes should do the right thing – staying in that uniform sends such a terrible message. They really need to shut it down and give athletes a chance to train under someone new and fresh.”
When contacted by BBC Sport, Nike said the decision over Salazar “had nothing to do with administering banned substances to any Oregon Project athlete”.
It added: “As the panel noted, they were struck by the amount of care Alberto took to ensure he was complying with the World Anti-Doping Code.
“We support Alberto in his decision to appeal and wish him the full measure of due process that the rules require. Nike does not condone the use of banned substances in any manner.”
In a letter sent to all employees on 1 October, seen by the BBC, Nike boss Mark Parker said that while the panel did not find that Salazar or anyone in the Oregon Project administered any banned substances, it “upheld three charges against Alberto, all of which were committed without an intent or effect to dope or cheat.”
He added: “The arbitration panel may have disagreed on three points but agreed that any violations they have found were not out of an effort to dope or cheat.”
Read more at: https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/49951671