Olympic hero Allan Wells: being called a drugs cheat felt like being accused of sex abuse

Anguished Olympic hero Allan Wells has likened claims he cheated his way to glory to being falsely accused of SEX CRIMES.

The former 100 metre star’s entire career has been called into question after a BBC Panorama probe alleged he abused anabolic steroids and even tried to beat testers by finding out when they were coming.

The most damaging allegation claims the sprinter took performance-enhancing drugs prior to winning gold at the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

But distraught Wells says, in his eyes, the allegations are as bad as being falsely accused of being a sex offender.

In a searingly honest exclusive interview with The Sunday Post the 63-year-old has also revealed that:

The allegations left him feeling like he’d been falsely named and shamed in the same way as Operation Yewtree targeted comedian Jimmy Tarbuck.

He fears the claims will tarnish his high-profile sprinting coach wife Margot as well as the reputation of other sportsmen he coached.

Only the support of his friends and family have got him through and stopped him dwelling on the career-destroying allegations.

Wells said: “I watched Panorama in utter disbelief.

“On the one hand, there was footage of my victories and the medal ceremonies. But at the same time I was being accused of being a cheat. That everything I had achieved was based on a lie.

“Of course it was devastating. It’s very difficult to defend yourself against allegations, especially ones that are decades old, without people saying: ‘He would say that, wouldn’t he’.

“I understand now what someone like Jimmy Tarbuck went through.

“My entire career was pulled apart in the court of public opinion on the say-so of a guy who admitted being a drugs cheat, who made no secret of the fact he hated me.

“It also relied on transcripts of comments, not the actual recordings, made by a doctor who is now dead.

“People have asked me what it’s like to have the achievements I worked so hard for to be questioned like this.

“But I can’t think about it in those terms, the consequences would be dire. Ultimately, I know I didn’t dope, I know I was clean, and I know the strength of the allegations.

“I’m dealing with it one day at a time and, with my family’s support, I’ll get through it.”

The BBC documentary accused Wells of being a serial doper throughout the golden years of his career in the 1970s and 80s.

It also went on to detail allegations the GB team doctor at the time, Jimmy Ledingham, supplied him with steroids that helped him secure gold at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Many of the claims came from Wells’s former teammate, Drew McMaster.

The pair were part of Scotland’s 1978 Commonwealth Games 4 x 100 metre relay team that won gold in Edmonton along with Cameron Sharp and David Jenkins.

However, years later, McMaster and Jenkins admitted taking performance-enhancing drugs.

And in 1995 McMaster, now 58, made drug allegations against Wells, Ledingham and others. They all denied the claims.

McMaster, of Ormiston, East Lothian, said he was approached by the BBC around a year ago and was interviewed by them for six hours.

He insists he co-operated to expose “corruption in British sport”, adding that Wells “got an OBE to think about and earns £100,000-a-year”.

He added: “I’ve been waiting 30 years for this. Nothing has changed, I’ve reiterated what I said in 1995.”

But despite the attack on his credibility, Wells says he bears no grudges.

He said: “What’s the point in being bitter and angry with him? I’ve no idea what’s motivated him to speak out, and to be honest I’ve not really got any feelings for him at all.

“There’s no doubt we were rivals, but for me we needed each other to push hard, to achieve better performances.

“I can’t control how history will judge me.

“This has been disappointing, a very difficult episode to cope with. But, Margot and I will stay strong.

“We both know I didn’t dope and that’s the most important thing, not rumour and innuendo.”

After Panorama aired, a lawyer acting for Wells lodged a formal complaint. A BBC spokeswoman said at the time: “We have received a complaint from Mr Wells’ lawyers and this has been dealt with in the normal way.”

The BBC investigationTHE BBC’s special doping investigation into Wells entitled Catch Me If You Can was compiled by Panorama reporter Mark Daly.The programme claimed the Edinburgh-born runner serially abused steroids to reach the pinnacle of world athletics.Much of the case against Wells relied on testimony and evidence provided by his former teammate and career-long rival, Drew McMaster (left).The investigation also relied on a taped conversation with Dr Jimmy Ledingham, who was the Great Britain team doctor at the time.In one transcript, the ex-Edinburgh GP, who died in 1998, gave McMaster his reasons for doping athletes.At one point, the doctor was asked if Wells was getting steroids from him.Ledingham said: “He was taking stuff from all over the place, not just from me.“Everybody knew Wells took drugs.”The documentary also included hard-hitting allegations against Alberto Salazar coach of current GB track star Mo Farah and his training methods.Salazar, one of the world’s most successful coaches and head coach at the prestigious Nike Oregon Project, was accused of violatinganti-doping rules through the use of banned steroids such as testosterone, and unethical practices.There is no suggestion that Farah has done anything wrong or broken any rules.Since the furore erupted, former champ Sebastian Coe has revealed he plans to revamp athletics’ anti-doping strategy within 100 days if he is elected IAAF president.London 2012 supremo Coe, 58, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, is bidding to replace Lamine Diack on August 19.He said: “I’m convinced athletics can reclaim an exciting, golden era.“To deliver this, we must have the right IAAF structures in place, including a fully independent anti-doping agency.”The impact on my wifeTHE former athlete has admitted he’s concerned the allegations will have an impact on his wife Margot.Margot is a respected elite sprint and fitness coach who played a pivotal role in her husband’s success.And she now works closely with members of the England Rugby Union team.“I’m proud of my achievements,” said Edinburgh-born Wells, who now lives in Guildford, Surrey.“It was a huge honour to be the first carrier of the Queen’s baton and an ambassador for the Commonwealth Games as well as the for the London 2012 Olympics. I’ve been inducted into the Scottish Sporting Hall of Fame.“None of the allegations will affect me on a personal level in the long term. I am content with how I achieved what I did.“However, I am concerned mud sticks to those around me. That would be utterly unfair.“That’s the danger of baseless allegations.“I will be able to deal with things my way, but I don’t want it dragging others down.“Margot and I are taking it a day at a time. To be frank I want to draw a line under the whole situation and move on.“While it’s been a painful experience I’m satisfied I’ve done nothing wrong.“But, I don’t want others to suffer.”