In a short statement, UK Athletics announced the departure of Storey but offered no reasons and said that they would not be making any further comment on the matter.

 

In December 2007 Storey, then 61, was investigated by UK Athletics after a Sunday tabloid newspaper alleged he had had a sexual relationship with Kate Reed, 25, an athlete he was coaching, while they were together on a funded training trip to South Africa.

 

Storey denied the relationship but insidethegames understands that that internal disciplinary action was taken against him.

 

Reed again found herself in the national headlines during the Olympics in Beijing when UK Athletics admitted that they and officials from the British Olympic Association had searched her room on the eve of the 10,000 metres final in the Bird's Nest Stadium because of fears that she had been taking illegal drugs to help her recover from an injury.

 

No substances were found.

 

As insidethegames revealed last week, Storey is one of several candidates to have been interviewed for the role of head of performance at the Athletics Assocation of Ireland (AAI).

 

Storey started his coaching career in the North East where he guided Mike McLeod to the Olympic 10,000m silver medal at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

 

He worked for several years at the London Marathon, including a spell as the chief executive, while continuning his coaching career.

 

Storey's greatest success came with Ireland's Sonia O'Sullivan, who in 1998 he guided to two World Cross Country titles and then the 5,000m/10,000m double at the European Championships in Budapest.

 

Two years later O'Sullivan won a silver medal in the 5,000m at the Sydney Olympics.

 

Storey is currently coaching Mo Farah, Britain's top male endurance runner, whose performance in failing to qualify for the final of the 5,000m in Beijing was heavily criticised by several experts, most notably 1976 Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist Brendan Foster, who was commentating for the BBC.

 

Storey was unavailable for comment.