Earlier today, clothing giant Nike announced that they are closing down the team Nike Oregon Project (NOP) - the program that will primarily develop US long-distance runners - which doping suspended coach Alberto Salazar bases on. Among other things, Salazar should have engaged in manipulating doping controls, using banned methods and making sure athletes got hold of the performance-enhancing substance testosterone.

In his stable, Salazar, among others, had world star Mo Farah, 36, for a total of six years.

It was in 2015 that the first charges came against Salazar, following a BBC documentary in which former activists and members of the Cuban coaching staff said that he should have baptized American Galen Rupp in the early 2000s. Despite the charges, Farah continued to be part of the NOP and Salazar's team. Instead, the collaboration ended only two years later when the British decided to move home to London.

Answered for the first time

Farah is on location this weekend in the US to run the Chicago Marathon on Sunday. A press conference was held during Friday, where the 36-year-old himself attended. There was a great media interest in place to ask the Briton, who has not yet commented on the issue, whether his views on the former coach are now doping suspended.

- Then, when the charges came against him (2015, red note) I flew to him for answers. He told me that the charges against him were false and that it had nothing to do with me, he promised. It turned out that was not true, he tells the British BBC.

BBC: Did he tell you he was signed up two years ago?

- No, this is the first time I heard about the notification when it was reported in the news. I ended up with NOP two years ago, I am based in London now and they are putting the project down to them. It's about Nike, I'm Mo Farah.

BBC: But you have Nike clothes on?

- It's because they pay me lots of money, haha.