Liu Xiang's first coach has admitted he made up a story about foreign journalists offering him 100,000 euros (US$126,833) in exchange for revealing the star hurdler had used performance-enhancing drugs.

Gu Baogang said he fabricated the story and has since apologized to Liu's family and to the public, according to Youth Daily.

Beijing-based The First published a story on Tuesday in which Gu claimed seven foreign journalists offered him an interview fee of 100,000 euros in exchange for admitting that Liu was doping. He claimed the interview took place some time in 2007.

"I like bragging," Gu told Youth Daily yesterday. "That day I casually invented the story as I never thought the reporter would publish it."

Gu's friends said he has a habit of telling lies and they even call him by the nickname "Liar Gu," the report added.

In Gu's invented story he said he rejected the offer, which was made by a group of journalists when he was training some of his athletes at Yichuan Middle School in Shanghai's Putuo District. In his story, Gu denied Shanghai-native Liu had ever used drugs even though the journalists took out a check for 100,000 euros.

The story received huge attention when it was released. Gu was called a hero for ending suspicion by foreign media. Some people questioned whether Liu had ever taken dope while others criticized foreign journalists for displaying a lack of professional ethics.

Meanwhile, the local sports authority and foreign affairs office, both mentioned in Gu's lies, investigated the claim.

After receiving numerous calls about the issue, Gu realized the situation was serious.

"I didn't expect it to be such a big deal," Gu said. "I would like to apologize to society through the media."

Liu's family said they had accepted Gu's apology and sent the apology to Liu and his coach Sun Haiping, according to the report.

(Shanghai Daily November 20, 2008)