Olympic Champion El Guerrouj Denies Doping Claims About Moroccan Training Hub Ifrane

Indeed, investigations by several media outlets, including Le Monde, have, a few months ago, portrayed the small town of Ifrane, located in northeastern Morocco, as a hub of doping for high-level middle-distance and long-distance athletes.

"I want to be clear. I have never seen or heard anything about doping in Ifrane," said the 45-year-old Moroccan to AFP. For him, it was important to restore the reputation of the city, which seems to be lost in the accusations made by several media.

The athlete, who retired in 2004, assures that the city of Ifrane has advantages for acclimatization to altitude, but has never been the receptacle of athletes for doping.

"Doping has existed for centuries, like crime in the rest of society. A lot of effort must be made to stop this scourge because it is a danger to the health of our children and to the image of our sport," acknowledged the champion in the columns of AFP.

He regretfully mentioned the provisional suspension of the French marathoner, Clémence Calvin, who regularly came to Ifrane to train.

According to AFP, the French Athletics Federation has also decided to cancel a federal training camp planned in Ifrane, "not to add to a stigmatized place," according to the words of the National Technical Director, Patrice Gergès, reported by the Agency.