Paula Radcliffe 'entirely innocent' of blood doping allegations after 'clearly plausible explanations', says the IAAF

  • The IAAF says Paula Radcliffe 'entirely innocent' of claims of blood doping
  • Radcliffe had 'clearly plausible explanations' for her data
  • Radcliffe, 41, was pleased but says 'it shouldn't have come to this' 

By Matt Lawton for the Daily Mail

Published: 10:02 EST, 27 November 2015 | Updated: 17:35 EST, 27 November 2015

Paula Radcliffe has been declared innocent of blood doping by the IAAF, who said it was ‘shocking’ that the marathon world record holder was ever publicly accused.

Complaining that she had effectively been identified by the House of Commons culture, media and sport select committee as an athlete with suspicious blood data, Radcliffe went public in September in a bid to defend herself against allegations.

But, on Friday, she gained support from the IAAF, only a day after being named on the new athletes’ commission of world athletics’ crisis-hit governing body. 

Paula Radcliffe has been cleared of all allegations of blood doping by the IAAF on Friday

Paula Radcliffe has been cleared of all allegations of blood doping by the IAAF on Friday

Radcliffe was pleased to hear the news but told Sky 'it should not have come to this'

Radcliffe was pleased to hear the news but told Sky 'it should not have come to this'

The IAAF says Radcliffe was accused 'on the gross misinterpretation of raw and incomplete data'

The IAAF says Radcliffe was accused 'on the gross misinterpretation of raw and incomplete data'

Radcliffe did admit that in data obtained originally by German broadcaster ARD and The Sunday Times that she had recorded three unusually high ‘off-scores’ of 114.86, 109.86 and 109.3 during her career. Anything above 103 in a female athlete can trigger an investigation but Radcliffe insisted there was an explanation for all three.

On Friday, the IAAF said there were innocent reasons for the values in her blood profile, while also revealing that new tests on urine and blood samples had all proved negative.

The IAAF statement said: ‘Paula Radcliffe was hounded in the media for several weeks until she felt she had no option but to go public in her own defence. The circumstances in which Ms Radcliffe came to be publicly accused are truly shocking.

‘She has been publicly accused of blood doping based on the gross misinterpretation of raw and incomplete data. Ms Radcliffe should never have been forced to defend herself against such insinuations. When all of the necessary information is considered, however, there are clearly plausible explanations for the values in her profile that are entirely innocent. The data therefore provides no basis for the insinuations against her.’

Radcliffe initially asked the World Anti-Doping Agency to clear her name but the independent body declined, reminding her of the need for it to remain impartial and avoid setting a precedent.

In the IAAF, however, Radcliffe certainly has an ally, even if the statement issued in her defence still lacked the detailed analysis to silence the doubters. Meanwhile, the independent WADA commission report into the leaked data — from 12,000 blood tests from 5,000 athletes between 2001 and 2012 — is due to be published in January.

IAAF president Sebastian Coe is to give evidence to the culture, media and sport select committee next week

IAAF president Sebastian Coe is to give evidence to the culture, media and sport select committee next week

Even so, the IAAF appeared to take a swipe at the sports scientists who analysed the data on behalf of ARD and The Sunday Times. ‘Any competent scientist would therefore immediately conclude that they (Radcliffe’s numbers) should be disregarded,’ said the statement. ‘Furthermore, the IAAF followed up by testing Ms Radcliffe’s urine samples and her blood samples and all of those tests came back negative.’

Expressing her relief, Radcliffe said: ‘I’m glad the IAAF have been able to put it down in writing and to have it brought out. In the current climate maybe people think it’s not important, but it’s important to me and the attacks made on my integrity and my credibility.’

Lord Coe, the under-fire president of the IAAF, will face questions from the DCMS select committee next Wednesday and part of the IAAF’s statement was in anticipation of that.

The IAAF have come out strongly in defence of its handling of suspicious blood samples

The IAAF have come out strongly in defence of its handling of suspicious blood samples

Coe is also due to be grilled in Westminster on his association with Nike. Although his move to resign from his paid ambassadorial role with the American sportswear giant should make that a little more comfortable.

MP Damian Collins said: ‘He’s right to realise that it was unacceptable for the president to hold that commercial position but there are still questions over why Eugene was awarded the World Athletics Championships without a vote and his role in that.’ 

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