Devastated Paula Radcliffe denies cheating

Paula Radcliffe has passionately denied ever cheating during her career and said she was “devastated” to have been linked to widespread doping allegations which have engulfed athletics.

The marathon world record holder issued a strongly-worded statement after MPs on Britain’s Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee began an investigation into blood doping in the sport.

Committee chairman Jesse Norman was questioning David Kenworthy, chairman of UK Anti-Doping, when he seemed to raise suspicions about a prominent British marathon runner.