Mo Farah will continue to work with coach Salazar

Mo Farah: "Difficult time". Picture: Getty

The British double Olympic champion says he believes in the evidence provided by Salazar and will continue to work with him.

Salazar issued a lengthy rebuttal of almost 12,000 words denying claims made by BBC Panorama and US investigative website ProPublica that he violated several anti-doping rules, including using testosterone medication on Farah’s training partner, Galen Rupp, when he was 16 in 2002.

Farah said in a statement: “Following all the speculation I want to make it clear where I stand. Although it’s been a difficult time, I asked Alberto to respond to the allegations made against him and he has now done so in full.

“As someone I’ve worked with for many years, I feel I have to believe in Alberto and the evidence he has provided. Based on that evidence, I will continue to work with him and hope now that I can focus on what I do best – training hard to win medals for my country.”

Farah is expected to return to the track in Lausanne on 9 July for the first time since the allegations broke. Organisers of the Diamond League meeting say Farah will compete in the 5,000 metres. He is also due to run in the Diamond League meeting in Monaco on 17 July.

Meanwhile, Rupp has insisted he is “100 per cent” behind Salazar following the doping allegations. Rupp, who won silver behind Farah in the 10,000m at the London 2012 Olympics, said he believed in “clean sport”.

“I think the truth will prevail. I stand behind him [Salazar] 100 per cent,’’ Rupp said in quotes on NBC Sports’ official website. “I believe in clean sport.”

The allegations against Salazar included a claim by United States distance runner Kara Goucher that in 2011 he recommended she take the thyroid medication Cytomel in order to lose weight.

In his response, Salazar insisted he had never criticised Goucher’s weight and that Goucher’s own endocrinologist had directed him to give her Cytomel.

Goucher responded yesterday, saying she and her husband, Adam, had approached the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) with their concerns.

She said on Twitter: “Unfortunately, Alberto’s false statements and one-sided, partial stories don’t tell the truth. Adam and I went to USADA in February 2013 when we had concerns about what we had experienced at the Oregon Project.”

USADA is reportedly still investigating the case.

UK Athletics, which has ordered an independent review into the allegations, said it respected Farah’s decision.

The governing body’s chief executive, Niels de Vos, explained: “British Athletics note and respect Mo Farah’s decision to continue his coaching relationship with Alberto Salazar.

“As is normal at this time of the year, Mo is currently training at altitude under the guidance of British Athletics as he prepares for the August defence of his world titles in Beijing.

“As has always been the case, British Athletics will continue to take responsibility for all nutritional, medical and sport science elements of Mo Farah’s training regime.”

UK Athletics chairman Ed Warner added: “Our independent review will continue and will report its findings and recommendations, as previously announced, in early August.”