Following a second place place finish in the Great Edinburgh Xcountry yesterday, Olympic champion Mo Farah made a notable statement about the length of time dopers should be banned from competition.
Fuelled by his frustration from losing out on medals to athletes taking performance enhancing drugs, Mo Farah said he believes that drug cheats should be banned for life.
The English long-distance runner centred his argument on the Spanish athlete Alemayehu Bezabeh, who Farah lost out to in 2009 at the European cross-country. Bezabeh was later slapped with a two year ban from 2011-2013.
BREAKING: Gareth Heath beats Mo Farah to win the Great Edinburgh XC😱🔥🔥@JOKIN4318 @lsabre @AtoBoldon @gabyandersengz pic.twitter.com/aOGgIdSo0A
— I TWEET SPORTS (@unlimited473) January 9, 2016
Speaking to The Guardian, Farah said:
“I know I missed that medal. I’m racing against a guy who I lost a medal to – but am I ever going to get that medal back? No. Anyone associated with that should get a liftetime ban. I’m doing it the right way so let me do what I do, let me run.”
Commenting on the doping scandals currently arresting the IAAF, Mo Farah said:
"I trust myself. I don’t know if I trust anyone else, that’s all I can do.”
Bezabeh was arrested in 2010 as part of an investigation by Spanish police after he was discovered carrying a bag of his own blood with, presumably, the intent to conduct a blood transfusion. A Spanish medic featured in the findings as well as middle-distance runner Marta Domínguez who was stripped of her 2009 World Steeplechase title due to infringements in her blood passport.
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