Britain's marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe has denied "cheating in any form" and says she's devastated that her name had been linked to wide-ranging accusations of blood doping.
British runner Paula Radcliffe during the women's marathon at the 2004 Olympic Games, Athens, Greece. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Radcliffe, who retired from competitive athletics this year following a persistent foot injury, has not been named in any mainstream British media stories relating to recent blood doping accusations, but she feels her name was alluded to during a British Parliamentary Committee hearing into the issue.
In a statement she said these accusations threatened to undermine all she has stood and competed for, as well as her hard-earned reputation.
Radcliffe was not mentioned by name during the hearing at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport but a question was asked about the validity of British women's performances in the London marathon, which she has won three times.