Paula Radcliffe today said she could be the victim of a 'drugs sting' after her protest at Olga Yegorova's participation in the World Championships.
World Cross Country Champion Radcliffe was angry after the IAAF allowed Yegorova to compete in the 5,000 metres at Edmonton even though the Russian tested positive for the banned performance-enhancing hormone EPO at a meeting in Paris last month.
The IAAF was forced to let Yegorova run on a technicality - a ruling that prompted Radcliffe to hold up a placard saying 'EPO cheats out' during the 5,000 metres heat.
The demonstration by the British women's team captain attracted much attention and prompted UK athletics chief David Moorcroft to suggest she could be set up because of her campaign to clean up the sport.
Radcliffe is also afraid she might be targeted in this way and cited the case of German distance runner Dieter Baumann who was found to have taken nandrolone, even though he was a vigorous anti-drugs campaigner. Baumann claimed his toothpaste had been spiked with nandrolone.
"If you put your neck on the line and go out on a limb and you rock the boat, then you're taking a risk," said Radcliffe.
"Obviously it does put me out on a limb a bit but I'm just going to have to be careful and watch my back. It would be a sad day for the sport if something like that did take place.
"But you have to look at situations like Dieter Baumann's and ask did something happen there? He was very outspoken about the issue in the same way I am. Maybe he was, or maybe he wasn't, but I believe there was a strong case for him being set up".
PA