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SPORTS Saturday 12 OctOber 2019
Nike closing Oregon Project in wake of Salazar doping ban

By ROB HARRIS one who has crossed the
AP Sports Writer line."
Nike is closing its elite Or- USADA released last week
egon Project track and a pair of 100-plus-page
field program overseen by decisions by an arbitration
Alberto Salazar following panel that delivered the
his recent four-year doping suspensions for both Sala-
ban in a move welcomed zar and Dr. Jeffrey Brown,
by the sport's governing the endocrinologist who
body. did contract work for NOP
But the sportswear giant and administered the med-
and Salazar's protégée, icine. The documents, com-
Galen Rupp, are backing bined with earlier reporting
the disgraced coach's ef- by the BBC and ProPublica,
forts to overturn the ban. portrayed a coach and
Salazar was found guilty doctor who used athletes
last week by the U.S. Anti- and employees as guinea
Doping Agency of running pigs to test theories on how
experiments with supple- supplements and medicine
ments and testosterone in various doses could en-
that were bankrolled and hance performance with-
supported by Nike, along out breaking anti-doping
with possessing and traf- rules by triggering a positive
ficking testosterone. test. The documents also
The verdict didn't direct- In this March 16, 2016, file photo Nike CEO Mark Parker speaks during a news conference in New showed they went to great
York. Parker has found himself at the center of doping scandal that has brought down renown
ly implicate runners from track coach Alberto Salazar, who ran an elite training program bankrolled by the world’s largest lengths to produce falsified
the Nike Oregon Project. sports apparel company. and incomplete medical
But the company is partly Associated Press records that made their
blaming the scrutiny on the master plan hard to detect.
stars of the training center athletes to focus on their coming the decision to shut ban. Rupp said he'd sup- "It is the right thing and now
for its decision to shut the training and competition down the tarnished track port any appeal. let's hope they accept that
program that began in needs." program. "I haven't any sport-related mistakes were made and
2001. The Oregon Project ath- "In light of USADA's recent contact with him, profes- truly commit to clean sport
The 61-year-old Salazar letes now seeking a new decision, closing the pro- sional contact with him," and the health, well-being
has consistently denied training center include gram seems the only thing Rupp said when asked Fri- of athletes," USADA CEO
being involved in doping Donavan Brazier, the first to do as athletes will inevi- day in Chicago about his Travis Tygart said.
schemes. Nike is support- U.S. athlete to win a world tably vote with their feet dealings with Salazar since Nike has already shut down
ing his plan to appeal the 800-meter title last week, and choose not to be asso- the verdict. "I am not re- the OP website, which de-
ban. In the meantime, and Sifan Hassan, the Ethi- ciated with a program sur- ally going to comment on tailed how Salazar and
Salazar cannot coach and opian-born Dutch runner rounded with controversy," the report. It's obviously out Tom Clarke founded the
his credential was revoked who last week became the IAAF told The Associ- there." program in 2001 after be-
during the world track and the only woman to win the ated Press. Farah was irritated to be moaning the state of Amer-
field championships last 1,500 and 10,000 at the The announcement was pressed on whether his ican distance running.
week."This situation includ- same world championships the talk of the news con- achievements had been Clarke is currently president
ing uninformed innuendo or Olympics. ference ahead of the Chi- tainted by association with of Nike Innovation.
and unsubstantiated as- "We will help all of our ath- cago Marathon is Sunday, Salazar, claiming there was Nike wrote the contracts
sertions has become an letes in this transition as where Oregon Project run- an agenda against him. and paid the athletes in
unfair burden for current they choose the coaching ners Jordan Hasay and "I haven't done anything the training program at the
OP athletes," Nike said in set up that is right for them," Rupp are competing along wrong — these allegations company's campus in Bea-
a statement Friday. "That Nike said. with Mo Farah, who was are about Alberto Salazar verton, Oregon.
is exactly counter to the A building on Nike's Oregon coached by Salazar until not Mo Farah," said the Brit- "Nike has always tried to put
purpose of the team. We campus was named after 2017. on, who won back-to-back the athlete and their needs
have therefore made the Sebastian Coe, the IAAF Rupp, a 2012 and 2016 Olympic doubles in the at the front of all of our de-
decision to wind down the president whose track and Olympic medalist, worked 5,000 and 10,000 meters. "I cisions," the Nike statement
Oregon Project to allow the field governing body is wel- with Salazar before the have no tolerance for any- said. q

Olympic gold medalist Conor Dwyer gets 20-month ban

By EDDIE PELLS tested positive three times near the hip. Agency, which makes its for all athletes," USADA
AP National Writer between Nov. 15 and The decision says a doctor rules and list of banned CEO Travis Tygart said.
Olympic gold medalist Dec. 20 last year. His ban treating Dwyer claims to substances public and also The arbitrators gave
Conor Dwyer has received was made effective on have contacted an official has a hotline to respond to Dwyer a slightly reduced
a 20-month doping Dec. 21, meaning he won't at the U.S. Olympic and questions. sentence in part because
ban after an arbitration be eligible for next year's Paralympic Committee, "It's frustrating that Mr. he argued that he wasn't
panel found that he Olympics. who said the treatment Dwyer did not take using the pellets for
had testosterone pellets The arbitration decision was allowable. advantage of this support, performance but rather to
inserted into his body. says Dwyer worked with a But, the report says, neither and hopefully, this case mitigate "health concerns
The 30-year-old Dwyer, nutritionist who suggested Dwyer, his doctor nor his will convince others to do which were causing him
who won relay gold the pellets, which are nutritionist followed up so in order to protect fair to have a high degree of
medals in 2012 and 2016, inserted into the skin tissue with the U.S. Anti-Doping and healthy competition stress."q