By Tim Parsons-
World champion sprinter Justin Gatlin has fired his coach , Dennis Mitchell following reports that he claimed Gatlin was taking undetectable drugs.
Gaitlin expressed shock and surprise at doping allegations made against his coach and an agent.
Athletics anti-doping officials have began an investigation into doping allegations against Dennis Mitchell and Robert Wagner. The president of the sport’s governing body said the investigation is into “serious allegations” about Dennis Mitchell and Robert Wagner.
Reporters from the Daily Telegraph said Wagner – an agent linked to Gatlin – offered to “illicitly supply performance-enhancing drugs” to undercover reporters.The paper said that Mitchell and Wagner offered to provide and administer testosterone and human growth hormone to an training actor for a film about athletics. The banned performance-enhancing drugs were allegedly to be supplied by a doctor in Austria for a fee of about $250,000, according to the paper.
BANNED
A video released by the Telegraph has been circulated across the UK press. It features a man alleged to be Wagner suggesting Gatlin is taking banned drugs, “just like every other sprinter in America”.
Reporters from the paper also said Gatlin’s coach- a former Olympic gold medallist – told their undercover investigators that athletes are able to get away with doping because the drugs they use cannot be detected by tests. The Telegraph hit bingo with their investigation, but exactly how they decided to successfully target Gaitlin’s coach is not known. When asked by The Eye Of Media.Com, reporters from the Telegraph declined to reveal the source of their motivation in targeting Gaitlin’s coach. The sprinter’s former ban may have been the reason for their suspicions, or they may have been given a lead they are not prepared to divulge.
However, their investigation appears to have been very successful, in that they managed to get the sprinter’s coach to admit dabbling in illicit drugs. The admission from the coach does not necessary prove that his comments were factual, but it shows the disregard Mitchell has for honoring the position of the law , not just in deeds, but in words too. Gatlin immediately claims to have fired Mitchell upon hearing the news.
The American sprinter insisted he is “not using and have not used” performance-enhancing drugs.
He added: “All legal options are on the table as I will not allow others to lie about me like this.”
Journalists from the paper posed as representatives of a film company wanting to make a sports film , and were looking for a coach to train their star to look like an athlete. It was then that Mitchell apparently fell for their trap.
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) – set up by the sport’s world governing body the IAAF – and the US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) have cautioned for the accused to be deemed innocent until their investigations have been concluded.
“Investigations stemming from tips and whistleblowers play a critical role in anti-doping efforts,” Usada said in a statement. “We are presently co-ordinating with the Athletics Integrity Unit in order to investigate these claims fully.
“As with all investigations, we encourage individuals with information to come forward as an important tool to help protect clean athletes. Importantly, individuals are innocent unless and until the established process determines otherwise. It’s only fair to let due process occur before jumping to any conclusions.”
IAAF president Lord Coe added:
“These allegations are extremely serious and I know the independent Athletics Integrity Unit will investigate in accordance with its mandate.”
Gatlin, who has served two doping bans, won 100m gold at August’s World Championships in London, beating Usain Bolt in the Jamaican’s final individual 100m race before retiring.