Athletics: Wariso drug claim denial

PETER RADFORD, the executive chairman of the British Athletic Federation, has denied telling Solomon Wariso not to win a medal at the European Championships to avoid the possible embarrassment of having to give it back because of a doping offence.

At the time of the alleged comment, Wariso, a 200 metres specialist, had failed the first of two statutory tests. If a second test confirmed the presence of a banned stimulant in his urine sample, he stood to incur a three-month retrospective ban which would have invalidated anything he achieved at the championships.

According to a leaked report from Wariso's hearing with the BAF at which the three-month ban was confirmed, Wariso alleged that Radford had advised him to travel to Helsinki and take part in the championships, 'but not to win a medal and so avoid any serious adverse publicity'. Radford insisted yesterday: 'The allegation is absolute nonsense.'

Wariso, whose ban ended on 1 October, is not commenting, and is said to be annoyed at the leak.

Tony Ward, the BAF spokesman, said: 'Solomon wants to get on with his life. Athletes who test positive often get into a traumatic state and misconstrue what is being said to them.

'At the time, it was explained to Solomon what could have been the consequence of him competing.'