Lamont Marcell Jacobs, Italy’s surprise double Olympic champion, has revealed he split from his former nutritionist following reports he was allegedly being investigated in connection with performance-enhancing substances.
On Sunday, Jacobs became the first Italian to win the blue riband 100 metres sprint at an Olympics Games, with a European record time of 9.80 seconds in Tokyo. He had not dipped under the 10-second mark until this year.
The Times reported that police in Milan are probing bodybuilder Giacomo Spazzini, who reportedly owns a fitness and nutrition consulting company, in an investigation called “Operation Muscle Bound.”
“Well, this is something that honestly I am not involved with, because from the very first moment we heard about this thing that happened, we stopped working with him,” Jacobs told reporters in Tokyo when asked about Spazzini.
“But we are not worried, in fact the person was involved in a situation which was not his fault. At the end of the situation he was not considered guilty, so we are relaxed about it.”
Spazzini has previously spoken about training Jacobs.
It is reported that the pair split in March when the first reports surfaced of Spazzini’s alleged involvement.
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In a statement to The Telegraph, Jacobs’ agent Marcello Magnani said: “I confirm you that Marcell stopped to work with Giacomo Spazzini in March, as soon as he has known about the investigation.”
Spazzini’s lawyer denied that Jacobs had ever used performance-enhancing drugs.
“I wish to make clear that in the penal proceedings in which Spazzini is being investigated, evidential elements have emerged in the course of these investigations that exonerate my client of all responsibility,” Stefano D’Apolito was quoted as saying in a statement to The Times.
“I therefore trust that my client will be absolved in the preliminary phase of proceedings.”
Following his 100m victory, the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) lambasted media in Italy that cast doubt on Jacobs’ gold, labelling the reports as “embarrassing and unpleasant”.
Jacobs was also part of the winning 4×100 metres relay team which edged Team GB on the line in a thrilling finish which doubled his golden tally.
Despite his standout win in the 100m, Jacobs had yet to receive any congratulatory message from sprint great Usain Bolt.
“I know he received some messages from other Olympic champions welcoming him to the club, so to speak. But not from Bolt,” his coach Paolo Camossi told The Associated Press.
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