Cam Levins Discusses Doping Allegations, Admits to Starting To Take Asthma Medication After Leaving Southern Utah

by: LetsRun.com
June 14, 2015

PORTLAND, Ore — Nike Oregon Project team member Cam Levins continued his fine 2015 with a dominant nearly 10 second win over David Torrence in the 5000 at the Portland Track Festival in 13:20.68.

Cam came up short of his 13:15.19 personal best, but he did get a World Championship qualifying time and a time that will also let him run the 5000m for Canada at the Pan Am Games in Toronto next month.

This was the first race for Cam since possible doping violations against his coach Alberto Salazar broke as part of a joint investigation by Pro Publica and the BBC. After the race, Cam addressed the doping allegations and said he had seen nothing suspicious himself and said that he trusts Galen Rupp and coach Salazar to prove the allegations wrong. He also said he had not been pushed in anything that would be “considered a grey area” but admitted he had started taking prescription asthma medication since leaving college (Southern Utah) for his adult onset asthma.

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You can watch Cam’s response to the doping questions below and read a full transcript. 2:20s on the allegations.

Cam: It’s hard for me to address them specifically just because I’ve only been a part of the group a couple of years and it seems all the allegations are before that time. I can comment on Galen and Alberto. They have been very trustworthy. There is nothing I have ever seen that I would attribute to any of these allegations. I’ve never been pushed in any thing considered a grey area that a lot of people have sort of implied at. I trust them. They have never given me any reason not to.

I know Alberto and Galen are doing whatever they can to dispute these allegations and to prove them wrong. I trust them to do that.”

LRC’s Weldon Johnson: Some of the grey area stuff is about prescription drugs and supplements. Do you take any thyroid or asthma medication?

Cam: I don’t take any thyroid medication no. I know there has been a lot of rumors about that but I don’t know of anyone besides Galen of who takes it within our group?

Wejo: No prescription drugs?

Cam: I have some medication I take for my asthma, but that is something that is wrong with me. I’m asthmatic.

Wejo: Was that before you came on with the (Nike Oregon) Project?

Cam: Yeah, I was dealing with it before I joined the project actually. A little bit after the London Olympics I started having quite a bit of difficulty with it. So it was before I joined the project.

Wejo: You were taking the medication in college too or you started with Alberto?

Cam: No not in college. I think it had something to do with the 190 mile weeks I was running through Utah in the middle of the night, cold winter. I started having problems getting sick all the time. That is sort of what it stemmed with. Adult onset asthma is pretty common

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