Olympic and world medallist linked to gym bag of drug paraphernalia

Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeria is being investigated for ties to a gym bag filled with drug paraphernalia found at INSEP, a French track and field training centre. The four-time Olympic medallist and, most recently, 2019 world championships silver medallist in the 1,500m had personal documentation found in a sports bag filled with syringes and products for injection.

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He’s now being investigated by French authorities to see if the bag is connected with him and if his possible possession constitutes an offence. Makhloufi rose to running fame in 2012 when he broke onto the scene by winning the Olympic gold medal in the 1,500m. At the time, he was coached by Jama Aden, who was at the centre of a 2016 drug raid in Barcelona, which found EPO at the hotel he and his athletes were staying in. Makhloufi had left the group by the time the raid occurred. 

According to the CCES (Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport), runners can be banned for the presence, possession or use of a prohibited substance for two to four years. Makhloufi hasn’t recorded any results in 2020. His last result on the track was his 1,500m final in Doha. 

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