Steve Cram has come out in support of three-time London Marathon winner Paula Radcliffe after it was implied that she may have provided suspicious blood samples during her career.
A parliamentary select committee suggested that a previous British London Marathon winner had cheated, and despite her name not being mentioned, Radcliffe released a statement to deny any association with performance-enhancing drugs.
The accusations, which were made following an investigation by The Times, have sparked calls for Radcliffe to publicly release her blood data, something which the 41-year-old refuses to do as the results could potentially be misinterpreted.
Despite increasing pressure on Radcliffe, former 1500m world champion Cram has supported his compatriot, insisting that focusing on a "sensational story" only helps drugs cheats.
The 54-year-old told BBC Radio 5 live: "She's come out on the front foot and done what any of us would do.
"If we spend too much of our time focusing on a sensational story like this, it only benefits one group of people and that's the people who are still cheating."
The topic of doping has tainted the sport in 2015, with both coaches and athletes coming under scrutiny over the past three months.
Darren Plant
