20 December 2017

Gatlin denies doping as USADA & IAAF investigate Telegraph exposé

Justin Gatlin has denied using performance-enhancing drugs after his coach and an agent offered to provide false prescriptions for prohibited substances to an actor training for a film in a Telegraph exposé. The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) told the newspaper that it was investigating, after Gatlin’s coach Denis Mitchell and agent Robert Wagner were filmed offering to arrange to supply testosterone and human growth hormone to the actor.

Gavin has since fired Mitchell and has denied using performance enhancing drugs. Gatlin’s agent, Renaldo Nehemiah, told the newspaper that Wagner had worked for Gatlin on no more than two or three occasions. When The Telegraph’s undercover reporters met Gatlin in December, he told them that Wagner had been his ‘race track’ agent for about five years, with responsibility for arranging deals and travel in return for a percentage of earnings.

The Telegraph said that the total fee was US$250,000, and reporters were told the drugs would be smuggled to the US via Austria. In the exposé, Wagner and Mitchell detail how the drug would be administered to the actor by them, but if concerns arose they could employ a physician.

When asked if doping in athletics was still going on, Wagner told undercover reporters: “Three months ago, before the season ended, right now, obviously, and as soon was the season starts. Justin is going to do it, just like every other sprinter in America is going to do it. They have to do it.”

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