Victoria Ohuruogu is being investigated for training with her boyfriend – who is currently serving a doping ban. In an investigation conducted by The Times, the Team GB 400m star, 29, was photographed training alongside her long-term partner Antonio Infantino, who was born in England but now represents Italy.
It was announced in April that the sprinter, who specialises in the 100 and 200m and competed at the Tokyo Olympics, had been banned for failing a drugs test. The couple, who have been in a relationship for 10 years, were spotted at Willesden Sports Centre in northwest London completing two 150m sprints by a reporter at The Times.
Under article 2.10 of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code, an athlete is banned from association “in a professional or sport-related capacity with any athlete support person who is serving a period of ineligibility”. The UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) organisation opted not to comment on any active investigation on Ohuruogu.
Infantino told The Times: “Victoria has been my partner for over 10 years, and we live together and share a car,” he said. “I was running my own 150m session that Saturday. I still like to work out but have no intention of returning to track professionally. Vicky had a longer 400m session with her training partner, set by her coach [Christine]. As far as my lawyers have made me aware, I am allowed to be around Victoria, but not advise or support professionally.
“Christine has given Victoria her old training diaries and has done an incredible job since our old coach passed away last year. I do not wish for what happened with me to implicate her and we have been very careful for me not to be involved in any professional capacity.
“I do not coach, write the programme or advise in any sense. I was not at any of her major championships, as Christine attended these. I didn’t want my own problems with the sport to impact her — and now this has. I believe I have been careful not to breach what I understand to be the rules.”
UK Athletics have issued a statement regarding the photographs which read: “Athletes who compete for GB & NI and members of the world-class programme receive regular anti-doping education which outlines their responsibilities towards clean athletics and adhering to the WADA code.
“We will be communicating with the athlete concerned to ascertain the facts before making any further comment.” This is not how Ohorugu would have wanted her 2022 to end given the breakthrough year she has had on the track.
She ran a 400m personal best of 50.50 and claimed a Commonwealth silver medal as well as relay bronze at the World Championships in Eugene and the European Championships in Munich.
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