Coach of world 1,500m champion Genzebe Dibaba arrested in Spain
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 20/06/16 5:31pm
The coach of the reigning female athlete of the year Genzebe Dibaba has been arrested as part of a joint anti-doping operation by Catalan police, world athletics' governing body and the Spanish anti-doping agency.
Somalian coach Jama Aden and a Moroccan physio were arrested at their hotel in Sabadell, 20 miles north of Barcelona, and taken into custody.
There is no suggestion that Dibaba has done anything illegal.
The Spanish anti-doping agency (AEPSAD) confirmed local reports that the blood-boosting drug EPO had been found in the physio's hotel room were correct.
AEPSAD said it, in conjunction with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), had also drug-tested more than 20 athletes.
One of the hot favourites for gold at the Rio Olympics, the 25-year-old Dibaba is the current world indoor and outdoor record-holder for 1500m, and the reigning world champion for outdoor 1500m and indoor 3,000m.
Aden, who ran for Somalia in the 1980s, has been used in the past by the British federation as an "unofficial facilitator" for training camps in Ethiopia, including at least one attended by double Olympic champion Mo Farah last year.
A spokesman for British Athletics said Aden had not been used in any role this year, as a result of changes it made following the controversy surrounding Farah's American coach Alberto Salazar.
"All Aden did last year, for a very short period of time, was to hold a stop watch and shout out times to athletes as they completed their track sessions," the spokesman said.
"There was no coaching or anything technical involved."
He added that some overlaps with other training groups will inevitably occur, particularly in this part of Ethiopia as there is only one track.
Farah's agent Ricky Simms made a similar point, stressing that his management group had no relationship with Aden whatsoever.
