LONDON — Paula Radcliffe, a three-time London Marathon winner who holds the world record for the distance, denied Tuesday that she ever used performance-enhancing drugs and said she was “devastated” that her name had been linked to allegations of wide-spread blood doping in track and field.
“I categorically deny that I ever resorted to cheating in any form whatsoever at any time in my career,” the British runner said in a strongly-worded four-page statement issued through her management company.
The 41-year-old Radcliffe, who has retired from international competition, said she was “effectively” implicated during a Parliamentary hearing Tuesday into allegations of doping leveled last month by The Sunday Times newspaper and German broadcaster ARD.