大象传媒

British sprinter Darren Campbell has revealed how his coach Linford Christie broke it to him that he'd failed a drugs test in 1999, and the effect that had on his preparations for the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

Christie was banned for two years after testing positive for steroids in 1999.

鈥淚 remember landing in Australia for our training camp and Linford said to me, which was the right thing, 鈥榳e need to go for a walk.鈥�

鈥淔or Linford to say that, I knew there was something not right,鈥� said Campbell.

Campbell explained the moment Christie revealed he had failed a drugs test, and his reaction to the news.

鈥淚 was like, 鈥榳hat the hell are you telling me!鈥� This is preparation for the Sydney Olympics,鈥� he said.

鈥淎t the point where he tells me his side of the story, I know what I know. Yes, it potentially does open me up to people going 鈥榶ou鈥檙e a cheat just like him鈥� or whatever they want to believe.鈥�

The sprinter also explained what happened once Christie鈥檚 failed test had become public knowledge and he was in the final stages of preparation for the Olympic Games.

鈥淚 remember all the journalists being around and taking photographs and then the drug testers turn up. All the journalists know I was about to get drug tested so for the next two weeks everyone was waiting for the test but in my mind I was like "I haven鈥檛 done anything wrong," Campbell explained.

鈥淓veryone knew I had been tested 鈥� superb. In two weeks I鈥檇 get the results. The results would come back clear and I can go and run because that鈥檚 my job."

The discussion came while discussing the impact of allegations made against Alberto Salazar could affect the athletes he coaches.

A 大象传媒 investigation alleged that American Salazar, who coaches Mo Farah in the United States, has practised doping techniques with other athletes.

There is no suggestion that Farah himself has been involved in doping.

Salazar strenuously denies the allegations made by the 大象传媒 and has promised to show that they are based on "false statements".

This clip is originally from 5 live Track and Field Thursday 11 June 2015.

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