Four-time Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah is under the spotlight for injections he received ahead of the London Marathon in 2014.
An investigation by BBC's Panorama, entitled "Mo Farah and the Salazar Scandal," raises renewed questions over Farah's relationship with former coach Alberto Salazar, who is appealing against a four-year ban for doping violations which he denies.
Farah was tested six days after receiving the injections. He recorded a number of medicines but failed to note L-carnitine on his doping control form, according to the Panorama investigation. When drug tested, athletes are required to note all the medicines and supplements they have taken within the past seven days.
The program also alleged that Farah repeatedly denied taking L-carnitine injections ahead of the London Marathon when questioned by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) officials in 2015, only to return minutes after the interview had concluded to say he did in fact receive the injections.
L-carnitine is a naturally occurring amino acid that enhances athletic performance. It is prohibited to have infusions of more than 50ml in the space of six hours.
Farah changed his account after speaking with UK Athletics' (UKA) head of endurance Barry Fudge, who had been interviewed by USADA the previous day, according to Panorama.
Farah then immediately returned to the USADA officials he had just been interviewed by to clarify that he had received injections.
His lawyers said in a statement that the athlete "understood the question (from USADA officials) one way and as soon as he left the room he asked Mr. Fudge and immediately returned ... to clarify and it is plain the investigators were comfortable with this explanation."
The statement added: "It is not against (anti-doping) rules to take (L-carnitine) as a supplement within the right quantities.
"Mr Farah ... is one of the most tested athletes in the UK, if not the world, and has been required to fill in numerous doping forms. He is a human being and not a robot. That is relevant ... if in fact something was missed from the form. Interviews are not memory tests."
The Panorama report also alleged that in emails between UKA officials, Fudge questioned whether Farah's use of L-carnitine was within the "spirit of the sport," while UKA's performance director Neil Black, who parted ways with the organization last year, admitted to having "a degree of discomfort" about the injections.
"That's pretty damning," Toni Minichiello, who coached Olympic heptathlon gold medalist Jessica Ennis-Hill, told Panorama. "I'm shocked. Barry Fudge in that instance has to explain... what was your logic for doing that? And you're an employee of UK Athletics, so UK Athletics, why would you allow one of your staff to do that?"
UK Athletics said in a statement Monday that it has an "absolute zero tolerance policy towards the use of banned performance enhancing drugs and methods and toward any and all doping practices within sport."
It added: "L-carnitine is a legal and scientifically legitimate food supplement that can be used by endurance athletes across a number of sports. It is not a prohibited substance and has previously been used in drink form.
"Over the past few years, a small number of British athletes have used L-carnitine, and, to our knowledge, all doses and methods of administration have been fully in accordance with WADA protocol."
The statement also specified that the dosage Farah took prior to the London Marathon was "well within the 50ml limit permitted."
Farah finished eighth in the London Marathon in 2014.
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