Mo Farah makes comeback win despite doping claims against coach

Galen Rupp (L), Alberto Salazar (C) and Mo Farah

Lausanne (Switzerland), July 10 (IANS)

Somalian-born Briton Mo Farah has made a winning return to the track, taking the men's 5,000 metre title at the Lausanne Diamond League meeting under the shade of doping claims against his coach, Alberto Salazar.

The 32-year-old waved both fists crossing the line in 13 minutes and 11.77 seconds to beat Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha into the second place by 0.82s, while Edwin Cheruiyot Soi of Kenya finished a distance third on 13:17.17 on Thursday, reports Xinhua.

Farah, Olympic and world champion for both 5,000m and 10,000m, was competing for the first time since claims were made by British and American media that his coach Salazar violated several anti-doping rules.

Salazar rejected the claims and denied any wrongdoing, while Farah insisted on standing by his American coach and even pulled out of a Diamond League meeting in Birmingham because of the claims.

“This victory is also a way to answer some of the critics regarding my coach that came out lately,” said Farah after the victory on Thursday.

There is widespread speculation that all of the athletes trained by Salazar have been involved in doping.