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Abortion not a poll issue - Blair
Tony Blair does not believe abortion should be an election issue, arguing it is a matter for individual conscience.
The prime minister's spokesman set out Mr Blair's view after the top Catholic in England and Wales backed Michael Howard's stance on abortions. The Tory leader supports a reduction in the legal limit from 24 weeks to 20 and has said current rules are "tantamount to abortion on demand". The prime minister has made it clear he has no plans to the change the law.
Mr Blair's spokesman said: "The Catholic church has a well-known position on this issue and it was one of many issues the Cardinal mentioned and therefore it should be seen in that context." His words came as Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster, backed Mr Howard's stance and distanced himself from Labour. In a statement, he said abortion was a "very key issue", saying: "The policy supported by Mr Howard is one that we would commend, on the way to a full abandonment of abortion."
Cardinal O'Connor claimed Labour had "developed" the notion that it was the natural party of Catholics, but he said: "We are not going to suggest people support one particular party." The Family Planning Association says a reduction would particularly affect young women who often seek help later. More than 180,000 women in England and Wales had terminations last year, of which fewer than 1% were carried out between 22 and 24 weeks.
In the Cosmopolitan interview Mr Howard said: "I believe abortion should be available to everyone, but the law should be changed. "In the past I voted for a restriction to 22 weeks and I would be prepared to go down to 20." All three main parties say the issue is one for each MP's conscience, rather than one where there is a party-wide policy. Mr Howard stressed his views were his personal views. Shadow home secretary David Davis said he understood Mr Howard had been signalling that a Conservative government would allow a Commons vote on the issue. Mr Blair and Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy also gave their views during interviews, conducted as part of the magazine's "High Heeled Vote" campaign.
Mr Blair, who last year denied he planned to join his wife and four children in the Catholic faith despite regularly taking communion, said abortion was a "difficult issue". "However much I dislike the idea of abortion, you should not criminalise a woman who, in very difficult circumstances, makes that choice. "Obviously there is a time beyond which you can't have an abortion, and we have no plans to change that although the debate will continue." Mr Kennedy said he had previously voted for a 22-week limit but medical advances mean "I don't know what I would do now". The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cardiff, the Most Reverend Peter Smith, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the church merely wanted people to "reflect on issues in light of the gospel" before voting. Anne Weyman, chief executive of the Family Planning Association, asked: "What is the benefit to women, or to the potential child, of forcing a woman to have a baby?" Anti-abortion group the Pro-Life Alliance "congratulated" Mr Howard on his new stance, but said it did not go far enough. | politics |
Profile: Gordon Brown
The ultimate prize of 10 Downing Street may continue to elude him but, as he prepares to deliver a record-breaking ninth budget, Gordon Brown can at least console himself with the thought that he is the longest serving chancellor of modern times.
He reached that milestone last June, when he overtook David Lloyd George, who served for seven years and 43 days between 1908 and 1915. How much longer Mr Brown will continue in the job is not clear (he once said there are two types of chancellor: "those who fail and those who get out in time.") There are rumours he will be moved to the Foreign Office if Labour wins the general election. But, for now, Mr Brown dominates the domestic political scene like few chancellors - or politicians - before him.
Gordon Brown was born in Glasgow on 20 February 1951, the son of a Church of Scotland Minister in the small Fife town of Kirkcaldy. At 12, he was canvassing for Labour and by his 20s he was a leading political activist in Scotland. He achieved a first class degree in history from Edinburgh University, where he went on to complete a PhD. His early career was spent lecturing, working in television and making a name for himself in the Scottish Labour Party.
His first attempt to enter Westminster, for Edinburgh South in 1979, was thwarted by the present Tory spokesman on foreign affairs, Michael Ancram. But in 1983, he took Dunfermline East, a new constituency including Rosyth naval base, pit villages and coastal towns.
Entering Westminster, he came to share an office with the newly elected MP for Sedgefield, Tony Blair. Within four years, Mr Brown had gained his first frontbench post as shadow chief secretary to the Treasury. He became shadow chancellor under John Smith's leadership in 1992. After the death of leader John Smith in 1994 he stood aside, agreeing to give Tony Blair a clear run at the leadership during a now infamous meal at the Granita restaurant in Islington.
The other part of the deal, that Mr Blair will one day stand down in favour of the chancellor, is the stuff of Westminster legend. Mr Blair's supporters say such a deal never existed and endless newspaper columns - and even a television film - have been devoted to the alleged deal. But if his leadership ambitions were at least temporarily thwarted in 1994, Mr Brown continued his devotion to politics. During the 1997 election campaign, he is said to have worked an average of 18 hours a day, six days a week after running on a treadmill for an hour each morning.
This dedication to his career was underlined by a comment by Mr Brown's former girlfriend of five years, Princess Marguerite of Romania, the eldest daughter of ex-King Michael of Romania, who said a relationship with him was "politics, politics, politics".
If that was true then, Mr Brown, who married PR executive Sarah Macaulay in 2000, changed his perspective when the couple were hit by tragedy early in 2002. Their daughter Jennifer died in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, 10 days after being born seven weeks prematurely. A year later, in October 2003, the couple had a son - John - an event which again gave the chancellor an opportunity to show his softer side. A trip to Africa earlier this year, to publicise his scheme to cancel the debt of poor nations, also gave the chancellor an opportunity to show his more human side.
The ideological differences between Mr Brown and Mr Blair remain relatively modest. The chancellor opposes the further encroachment of the market into the NHS and is seen as being more "Old Labour" than Mr Blair in his approach to wealth redistribution. But their shared belief that market economics are compatible with social justice continues to form the ideological heart of the New Labour project. Yet they are portrayed by the media as being locked in almost permanent conflict, with Mr Brown supposedly nursing resentment at being betrayed by his younger Downing Street neighbour over the succession. Mr Blair, for his part, is said to be frustrated that his public service reforms are being thwarted by a vengeful Mr Brown, who reportedly delights in keeping the prime minister in the dark over the contents of his Budget until the last possible minute. After a recent run of negative headlines, Labour MPs took the unprecedented step of making a direct appeal to the two men stop bickering, for the good of the party. Events like this, and the testimony of former ministerial colleagues, make it impossible to dismiss the Brown/Blair feud as just journalistic hearsay, cooked up by hacks and camp followers in the hothouse atmosphere of Westminster. How much it damages the ability of government to do its job is open to question.
A truce appears to have been called in the run up to the general election after a fresh spat was sparked by Blairite Alan Milburn being brought in over the head of Mr Brown to run the election campaign. But with the Tories having appeared to get the better of the pre-election campaign thus far there are reports that Mr Brown - using the Budget as a springboard - is to revitalise Labour's campaign. Amid all this it is easy to forget that Mr Brown remains the man most likely to succeed Mr Blair as Labour leader. There may be no shortage of possible contenders for the crown - including Mr Milburn - but none can command the sort of support in the parliamentary party and beyond that Mr Brown can. And Mr Blair's decision to name his own retirement date has at least given Mr Brown something to aim for - even if the prime minister's intention to "serve a full third term" if elected, took the shine off the announcement for the chancellor and his supporters. | politics |
Boateng to step down at election
Paul Boateng, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, is to step down as a Labour MP at the forthcoming general election.
Mr Boateng, 53, is to become the UK's high commissioner to South Africa. He was the UK's first black cabinet minister when appointed to his post in 2002, promoted from the Home Office, where he had been prisons minister. Mr Boateng served on the Greater London Council before being elected to Parliament in 1987, declaring "today Brent South, tomorrow Soweto". He will succeed the previous High Commissioner, Ann Grant, shortly after the next election, which is widely expected to be held on 5 May. The appointment is dependent on Labour's re-election.
Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "Paul has been both a valued colleague and a trusted friend for many years. "He has made an immense contribution to public life in Britain and I am delighted that he has agreed to continue that service to the people of Britain by acting as their representative in South Africa." Chancellor Gordon Brown said: "Over the past eight years Paul's contribution to the Treasury and the government has been exceptional - and it has been my privilege to have worked closely with him closely at the Treasury. "I congratulate Paul on his new appointment. "He has displayed huge dedication to the cause of African development for many years and it is fitting that, in this year of challenge and opportunity for the African continent, Paul has been given such a pivotal role in our fight against poverty and injustice. "I look forward to continuing to work with Paul on this vital agenda."
Mr Boateng said: "I am honoured to be asked to take on this role, especially as it comes at such an integral time for our relationship with South Africa and the African continent. "There shall be many new challenges and opportunities ahead and I look forward to embracing them with great anticipation." Asked if he was appointed as the result of a "fair and open" competition, he replied: "I have been appointed as a result of a process that's been used before by Labour and Conservative governments to appoint people of all parties who have relevant experience." Mr Boateng also laughed off suggestions that his re-election in Brent South seat had been in danger saying it was "one of the safest Labour seats in the country". Shadow foreign secretary Michael Ancram said that, if in government, he would refuse to approve either Mr Boateng's appointment or that of ex-Cabinet minister Helen Liddell as high commissioner to Australia. "Mr Blair's appointment of Paul Boateng is the latest example of a worrying trend of failed Tony's cronies being appointed to senior diplomatic posts," he said. | politics |
Howard hits back at mongrel jibe
Michael Howard has said a claim by Peter Hain that the Tory leader is acting like an "attack mongrel" shows Labour is "rattled" by the opposition.
In an upbeat speech to his party's spring conference in Brighton, he said Labour's campaigning tactics proved the Tories were hitting home. Mr Hain made the claim about Tory tactics in the anti-terror bill debate. "Something tells me that someone, somewhere out there is just a little bit rattled," Mr Howard said. Mr Hain, Leader of the Commons, told BBC Radio Four's Today programme that Mr Howard's stance on the government's anti-terrorism legislation was putting the country at risk. He then accused the Tory Leader of behaving like an "attack mongrel" and "playing opposition for opposition sake".
Mr Howard told his party that Labour would "do anything, say anything, claim anything to cling on to office at all costs". "So far this year they have compared me to Fagin, to Shylock and to a flying pig. This morning Peter Hain even called me a mongrel. "I don't know about you, but something tells me that someone, somewhere out there is just a little bit rattled." Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett rejected Mr Howard's comment, telling Radio 4's PM programme that Labour was not "rattled". "We have a very real duty to try to get people to focus on Michael Howard's record, what the proposals are that he is trying to put forward to the country and also the many examples we are seeing now of what we believe is really poor judgement on his behalf."
Mr Howard said Tory policies on schools, taxes, immigration and crime were striking a chord with voters.
"Since the beginning of this year - election year - we've been making the political weather," he told the party conference. Mr Howard denied he had been "playing politics" by raising the case of Margaret Dixon, whose operation had been cancelled seven times, which grabbed headlines for the party two weeks ago. And he hit back at Labour claims he had used Mrs Dixon as a "human shield". "She's not a human shield Mr Blair, she's a human being." Mr Howard said his party plans for immigration quotas, which have also been the focus of much media coverage, were not "racist" - just "common sense".
He pledged cleaner hospitals and better school discipline, with a promise to get rid of "political correctness" in the national curriculum and give everyone to the same chance of a "decent" state education as he had. "I come from an ordinary family. If the teenage Michael Howard were applying to Cambridge today, Gordon Brown would love me."
And he stressed his party's commitment to cut taxes and red tape and increase the basic state pension in line with earnings. He finished with a personal appeal to party activists to go out and win the next election. "One day you will be able to tell your children and grandchildren as I will tell mine, 'I was there. I did my bit. I played my part. I helped to win that famous election - the election that transformed our country for the better'." Labour election co-ordinator Alan Milburn said: "Michael Howard's speech today confirms what we have always said - that his only strategy is opportunism but he has no forward vision for the country. In reference to the appearance of Mr Howard's family on the conference stage with him, Mr Milburn said: "Michael Howard is perfectly entitled to pose with his family today. "But it is the hard working families across Britain that will be damaged by his plan to cut £35bn from public spending." | politics |
Tories urge 'change at the top'
Tory delegates are gathering for what is expected to be their last conference before the general election, declaring Britain needs "a change at the top".
The party goes into its spring forum trying to highlight what it sees as a clear choice between it and Labour. Tory co-chairman Liam Fox has opened proceedings with a speech criticising Tony Blair's record in government. Labour's rule has been characterised by "lost trust and failure to deliver", he told the Brighton conference. He also attacked the government's "failure" to control immigration and asylum and criticised its record on the NHS, telling delegates Labour cannot be trusted on education or crime. A Tory government would sort out the "shambles" of immigration, put patients before statistics and bring discipline to schools, he said. Dr Fox also underlined Tory promises to cut tax by £4bn.
BBC political correspondent Shaun Ley says opinion polls suggest the Tories still lag some way behind Labour on the issues of health, education and the economy. Conservative leader Michael Howard, who had been due to welcome delegates to the conference on Friday, will address them in a lunchtime speech. His welcome address had to be postponed after he stayed in London to lead the party's opposition to the Prevention of Terrorism Bill in its lengthy progress through Parliament. The bill was finally passed on Friday evening, after more than 30 hours of debate. Mr Howard is likely to defend his party's handling of the bill, which was only passed after the Conservatives accepted Prime Minister Tony Blair's promise that MPs would be able to review it within a year. | politics |
Sayeed to stand down as Tory MP
Tory MP Jonathan Sayeed is to stand down on the grounds of ill health.
The decision comes after Mr Sayeed survived an attempt to de-select him in a row over allegations he had profited from private tours of Parliament. The Mid-Bedfordshire MP had denied a claim that he was paid for guiding visitors around the Palace of Westminster. Conservative leader Michael Howard has now accepted the MP's resignation, it has been announced.
Mr Sayeed was suspended from Parliament for two weeks last month after the Commons standards and privileges committee said his conduct had fallen "well below the standards expected". The Conservative Party had already been withdrawn the whip for a month. But his constituency association voted against a move to deselect him, with Mr Sayeed winning 173 of the 299 votes. After the vote, Mr Sayeed said only a fifth of association members had voted against him and he intended to get on with winning the election. But the vote prompted constituency association president Sir Stanley Odell to resign in protest. The Standards and Privileges Committee inquiry was launched after the Sunday Times alleged English Manner Limited charged clients for access to Westminster through Mr Sayeed. Mr Sayeed had denied the claims, saying the suspension was "unjust and wrong" but he made an "unreserved" apology to MPs in the Commons chamber. He insisted that the committee's report had contained a "few errors of fact". Mr Sayeed has been MP for Mid-Bedfordshire since 1997. He represented Bristol East from 1983 to 1992. | politics |
Howard's unfinished business
"He's not finished yet," whispered the Conservative Party person as your reporter attempted to slip quietly from the hall. And indeed he wasn't. Michael Howard had already broken away from the printed text of his speech, at his party's spring conference in Brighton, to deliver a smart rebuff to Peter Hain's description of him as an "attack mongrel", claiming such personal abuse meant Labour was "rattled" by the Tory challenge. And here he was again, moving to the front of the stage as the party faithful rose to their feet in applause, to make a personal, ad-libbed appeal to them to go out and fight for victory. "One day you will be able to tell your children and grandchildren as I will tell mine, 'I was there. I did my bit. I played my part. I helped to win that famous election - the election that transformed our country for the better'." The speech, which was peppered with references to Mr Howard's humble beginnings as the "child of immigrants", had been introduced by his son Nick, a trainee vicar, who praised his father's honesty. "I always know where I am with him because all my life he has meant what he has said to me," he said. Mr Howard was also joined on stage by his wife Sandra, daughter Larissa and stepson Sholto.
The audience's reaction to all of this was a little muted by party conference standards.
But Mr Howard's overall message - that the Tories have Labour on the run and that they can win the next election - did not sound quite as hollow as it might have done six months ago. Mr Howard claimed, with some justification, that the Tories' campaign has got off to a "great start". They have had Labour on the back foot over immigration, with Tony Blair hastily adding a sixth promise on the issue to his latest pledge card, and have even managed to score points in traditional Labour territory such as health and education. The stunts involving Margaret Dixon with her postponed operation and Maria Hutchings with concerns about her son's special needs education may not have been to everyone's taste, but they succeeded in bringing the issues alive and forcing Labour to react. Senior Tories believe they are, at long last, starting to tap into the public mood, cutting through the background noise to connect with the ordinary voter. Their latest poster campaign flags up a range of policies from better school discipline, cleaner hospitals ("I mean, how hard is it to keep a hospital clean?") and immigration ("It's not racist to impose limits on immigration") - under the headline "are you thinking what we are thinking?" This, they say, contrasts with Labour's negative campaigning, such as its now infamous "flying pigs" poster.
Oliver Letwin, one of the men lampooned in the Labour poster, affects bewilderment at what he believes is Labour's loss of its once sure footing on the campaign trail. The Peter Hain "mongrel" attack, he says, is just the latest example of the party getting the tone wrong - a by-product, he claims, of the Tories setting the agenda.
"I have to say I don't understand what they are doing. The Labour machine appears to be in some kind of state of shock, it doesn't seem to know what to do." A few weeks of positive headlines have also done wonders for Tory activists' morale - likely to be a crucial factor at an election which, most analysts seem to agree, will hinge on which party can get their core support out. "It has been a fantastic few weeks," said 20-year-old politics student Nick Vaughan. "Our policies have been getting in the media and there is a sense that we can win. I wouldn't be here if I didn't think we could." Some delegates even spoke of the next election being like 1970, when Ted Heath, behind in the polls and written off by the pundits, snatched victory from Harold Wilson's Labour Party.
They all insisted it was not going to be a re-run of 2001. "We thought in 2001 we were going to dent that massive majority but it just didn't happen," said John Murray, of Aldridge Browhills Conservatives. "It was very disappointing. This time it really is different. "Whoever is running our strategy from the top has got it bang on. Blair is on the back foot." Much of the credit for the Tories' recent change of fortune must go to Lynton Crosby, the Australian strategist who succeeded in turning political veteran and apparent no-hoper John Howard, of Australia's Liberal Party, into a serial election winner. The Tories still have a mountain climb if Michael Howard is to walk through the doors of Number 10. Even allowing for the natural bias against the Tories in some opinion polls, they are still behind, when to have a chance of overturning Labour's whopping majority, they should really be ahead. But as they gear up for the start of the campaign proper, the party at least has reason to hope that, like his Australian namesake, Mr Howard really isn't finished yet. | politics |
'Last chance' warning for voters
People in England, Scotland and Wales must have registered by 1700 GMT to be able to vote in the general election if it is held, as expected, on 5 May.
Those who filled in forms last autumn should already be on the register - but those who have moved house or were on holiday may have been left off. There will also be elections for local councils and mayors in parts of England on 5 May. The deadline for voters to register in Northern Ireland expired on Thursday.
Completed registration forms can be handed into local authorities throughout the day on Friday, and some will accept them by fax. As well as for English county councils, polls for unitary authorities at Bristol, Isle of Wight and Stockton-on-Tees and mayors at Doncaster, Hartlepool, North Tyneside and Stoke-on-Trent are also scheduled for 5 May. Last week Preston City Council reported that more than 14,000 of its voters were not registered. Its electoral roll fell by 17.5% in a year - the biggest dip in the UK. An Electoral Commission spokeswoman said: "Political decisions are made on your behalf every day but only by using your right to vote at an election can you really have a say on the issues you care about. "If you want your voice to be heard on 5 May you will need to have registered by Friday 11 March." Council tax payers are not eligible to vote without registration, officials have stressed. | politics |
Sainsbury's Labour election gift
Science Minister Lord Sainsbury has made a £2m donation to the Labour Party for its General Election fund.
It is the latest hefty donation to the party by the billionaire - he has contributed more than £10m since 1999. David Sainsbury said he was pleased to give cash to a party that had the "vision" to deliver economic prosperity and better public services for Britain. General Secretary Matt Carter said it was "a fantastic gift" that would help Labour "fight and win the election".
"Through the generosity of David Sainsbury and other Labour supporters, Labour will be campaigning hard to take Britain forward and to stop the Tories taking us back," Mr Carter said. Lord Sainsbury added: "I am pleased to be able to make this contribution to the general election funds of the Labour Party because I believe that they are the only party that has the vision to deliver both economic prosperity and better public services for Britain." The 64-year-old latest donation follows a £2.5m gift to the party in 2003. Lord Sainsbury was created a life peer in 1997, a year before he was appointed as minister for science. | politics |
Blair 'up for it' ahead of poll
Tony Blair says his personal standing in the eyes of voters will be "an issue" in the general election.
The prime minister said he was "up for it" as the country waits to go to the polls, possibly in a matter of weeks. He told The Observer government life was a "constant barrage of attack" but said he would not stay in charge if he felt unable to contribute. Mr Blair also spoke of meeting many people across the country with concerns about the compensation culture.
He said Britain was in danger of needless panic over public safety issues.
Speaking amid a flurry of pre-election campaigning, the prime minister said: "I am an issue, I always will be. Whoever is the prime minister will be." He added: "If you are afraid to take criticism, you should go and do another job." Asked if he would quit as leader if he felt like a liability to Labour, he said: "It's important always not to do the job unless you feel you have something to contribute." Whether he still had something to offer, he said, was a judgement for people to make. Mr Blair's assessment is likely to be seen as a signal that replacing him would not bring an upsurge in fortunes for the Labour administration.
His comments come as the co-chairman of the Conservative Party, Liam Fox, on Saturday called him "a disappointment of historic proportions" as a prime minister. Mr Blair said he had learned from a series of at times tough encounters with members of the public, during question and answer sessions across the country in recent weeks. He pledged to clamp down on Britain's growing compensation culture, which has brought concerns that doctors, teachers and other professionals are being hampered in their work by the fear of frivolous lawsuits.
"I was quite shocked to be told by people who were running a nursery that they were worried about letting the kids out into the playground when it was wet in case one of them slipped and fell and they ended up having a legal case [against them]," he said.
"We have got to look at a way of getting people protection on that." Mr Blair said the government was also looking at "how to make sure that legal aid is not abused with actions against doctors and others", as part of a review being carried out by the Lord Chancellor's Department. And there should be "real debate" about the risk posed by public safety threats, he said. "We are in danger of - depending on whatever is the media campaign of the day - ending up spending literally hundreds, sometimes millions of pounds meeting quite a small risk."
His comments come after the government announced it is to spend £200m on drugs to treat a possible outbreak of bird flu, and the Sudan 1 food scare. Meanwhile, Commons leader Peter Hain has warned that on the campaign trail he has seen "dangerous complacency" being displayed by Labour voters convinced of a general election victory. If Labour voters "stayed at home" in marginal seats they could see Tory leader Michael Howard "coming in the back door to Number 10 with the tradesman's key to Number 10, getting into power", he added. | politics |
Labour MP praises Tory campaign
The Conservatives have been "a lot smarter" in the way they have conducted the general election campaign, a Labour backbencher has said.
Derek Wyatt said having a five month campaign "turned off voters" and suggested people were already "rather bored of the thing". He wants a greater campaigning role for Chancellor Gordon Brown. Labour said the economy was at the heart of the campaign and Mr Brown therefore had a prominent role. But Mr Wyatt argued: "By some way, he is currently the figure in all of the polls that people trust and see that has delivered over eight years an economy unmatched anywhere in the world. "So, it would be a tad foolish of the Labour Party if we did not use him as we have done over the past three elections."
Labour's election chief Alan Milburn denied there was an attempt to sideline Mr Brown after facing criticism for letting the Tories set the agenda. However, Mr Wyatt predicted the campaign would get under way properly once the chancellor delivered his budget. The MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey said Prime Minister Tony Blair had been "trying very hard" to improve his own standing with the electorate through a "sort of campaign of trust". But Mr Blair had been "hurt" by the Iraq controversy, he added. A Labour party spokesman played down differences with Mr Wyatt and said Mr Brown already had a prominent campaign role. "This election is a choice between Labour taking Britain forward and the Conservatives taking us back." | politics |
Top Tories on Lib Dem 'hit list'
The Liberal Democrats are aiming to unseat a string of top Tories - including leader Michael Howard - at the next general election.
Mr Howard's seat is at the top of the Liberal Democrats' list. Others targeted include Oliver Letwin, David Davis and Theresa May, Lib Dem's elections chief Lord Rennard said. He said it was "nothing personal" but that "very many of the prominent Conservatives" had slender leads in seats where the Lib Dems were second.
In 2001, Michael Howard won the Folkestone & Hythe seat with 20,645 votes, compared to 14,738 for the Liberal Democrat candidate Peter Carroll, giving the Tory leader a majority of 5,907. Asked if this amounted to the party's much vaunted "decapitation strategy" Lord Rennard said it was not a term he had ever used. But he urged Labour supporters to vote tactically to remove prominent Conservatives. "I just don't think Labour voters in these sort of seats could resist the temptation to use their votes effectively to remove a Conservative." He denied this strategy was opportunism, insisting the Lib Dem's policies on issues such as tuition fees, the council tax and free care for the elderly appealed "to all sides of the political spectrum". "We are in favour of tactical voting as long as the tactic is to vote Liberal Democrat," he added. A Conservative spokesperson said: "The Liberal Democrats can talk all they like about strategy. The problem the Liberal Democrats face is that a large number of Lib Dem voters do not agree with their policies. "We will be pointing out how they are soft on crime, how they support higher taxes, their opposition to controlled immigration and support for giving Europe more control over our lives". | politics |
Lib Dems unveil election slogan
The Liberal Democrats will present themselves as "the real alternative" in the forthcoming general election campaign, Charles Kennedy has said.
Unveiling the slogan at the party's spring conference, he said there was no "glass ceiling" to its ambitions. He told delegates that Labour had abused the public's trust and that the Tories had failed to oppose them. In response, the Conservatives insisted that theirs was the party that understood the "forgotten majority".
Speaking in Harrogate Mr Kennedy said: "People want a credible, principled political party which offers a different vision of what Britain can be."
Only the Liberal Democrats stood against the Iraq war, he said, and they had also provided strong opposition to the government's plans on ID cards, anti-terror measures and taxation. He said: "If you voted Conservative in 2001 ... what good did it do you? Your vote was wasted. "What people needed was ... a party which was listening to their concerns; a party which was prepared to stand up and say so; a party which said no to the prime minister." Responding to the claims Tory Party co-chairman Liam Fox said: "Like Labour, the Lib Dems are soft on crime, support higher taxes, oppose controlled immigration and support giving Europe more control over our lives."
Mr Kennedy also outlined his party's plan to impose a 50% income tax rate on earnings over £100,000 a year. The money would be used to help pay for key policies such as abolishing university tuition fees, scrapping council tax in favour of local income tax, and providing free care for the elderly, he said. Labour and the Tories claim the sums do not add up, and that working families would be hardest hit. Mr Kennedy said: "Britain is the fourth-largest economy in the world. We have world class businesses and a world class workforce.
"So why are two million of our pensioners living below the poverty line?" All the parties are campaigning hard for an expected election in May, although Prime Minister Tony Blair has not confirmed any timing. Earlier, Mr Kennedy told Radio 4's Today programme there was no possibility of forming a coalition with Labour in the event of a hung Parliament. "We go into the election as an independent party and we come out as an independent party," he said. Mr Kennedy has been under fire in recent days for missing Monday's Commons vote on the government's controversial anti-terrorism laws, along with 16 other Lib Dem MPs. On Saturday, the Lib Dem chief executive said it was "just a cock-up" that Mr Kennedy and his colleagues missed the vote, which the government won by a majority of only 14. "Nobody had any idea that was going to happen," Lord Rennard told reporters at the party conference. He said he was certain MPs would get another chance to vote against the plans. | politics |
Claxton hunting first major medal
British hurdler Sarah Claxton is confident she can win her first major medal at next month's European Indoor Championships in Madrid.
The 25-year-old has already smashed the British record over 60m hurdles twice this season, setting a new mark of 7.96 seconds to win the AAAs title. "I am quite confident," said Claxton. "But I take each race as it comes. "As long as I keep up my training but not do too much I think there is a chance of a medal." Claxton has won the national 60m hurdles title for the past three years but has struggled to translate her domestic success to the international stage. Now, the Scotland-born athlete owns the equal fifth-fastest time in the world this year. And at last week's Birmingham Grand Prix, Claxton left European medal favourite Russian Irina Shevchenko trailing in sixth spot.
For the first time, Claxton has only been preparing for a campaign over the hurdles - which could explain her leap in form. In previous seasons, the 25-year-old also contested the long jump but since moving from Colchester to London she has re-focused her attentions. Claxton will see if her new training regime pays dividends at the European Indoors which take place on 5-6 March. | sport |
O'Sullivan could run in Worlds
Sonia O'Sullivan has indicated that she would like to participate in next month's World Cross Country Championships in St Etienne.
Athletics Ireland have hinted that the 35-year-old Cobh runner may be included in the official line-up for the event in France on 19-20 March. Provincial teams were selected after last Saturday's Nationals in Santry and will be officially announced this week. O'Sullivan is at present preparing for the London marathon on 17 April. The participation of O'Sullivan, currentily training at her base in Australia, would boost the Ireland team who won the bronze three years agio. The first three at Santry last Saturday, Jolene Byrne, Maria McCambridge and Fionnualla Britton, are automatic selections and will most likely form part of the long-course team. O'Sullivan will also take part in the Bupa Great Ireland Run on 9 April in Dublin. | sport |
Greene sets sights on world title
Maurice Greene aims to wipe out the pain of losing his Olympic 100m title in Athens by winning a fourth World Championship crown this summer.
He had to settle for bronze in Greece behind fellow American Justin Gatlin and Francis Obikwelu of Portugal. "It really hurts to look at that medal. It was my mistake. I lost because of the things I did," said Greene, who races in Birmingham on Friday. "It's never going to happen again. My goal - I'm going to win the worlds." Greene crossed the line just 0.02 seconds behind Gatlin, who won in 9.87 seconds in one of the closest and fastest sprints of all time. But Greene believes he lost the race and his title in the semi-finals. "In my semi-final race, I should have won the race but I was conserving energy. "That's when Francis Obikwelu came up and I took third because I didn't know he was there. "I believe that's what put me in lane seven in the final and, while I was in lane seven, I couldn't feel anything in the race.
"I just felt like I was running all alone. "I believe if I was in the middle of the race I would have been able to react to people that came ahead of me." Greene was also denied Olympic gold in the 4x100m men's relay when he could not catch Britain's Mark Lewis-Francis on the final leg. The Kansas star is set to go head-to-head with Lewis-Francis again at Friday's Norwich Union Grand Prix. The pair contest the 60m, the distance over which Greene currently holds the world record of 6.39 seconds. He then has another indoor meeting in France before resuming training for the outdoor season and the task of recapturing his world title in Helsinki in August. Greene believes Gatlin will again prove the biggest threat to his ambitions in Finland. But he also admits he faces more than one rival for the world crown. "There's always someone else coming. I think when I was coming up I would say there was me and Ato (Boldon) in the young crowd," Greene said. "Now you've got about five or six young guys coming up at the same time." | sport |
IAAF launches fight against drugs
The IAAF - athletics' world governing body - has met anti-doping officials, coaches and athletes to co-ordinate the fight against drugs in sport.
Two task forces have been set up to examine doping and nutrition issues. It was also agreed that a programme to "de-mystify" the issue to athletes, the public and the media was a priority. "Nothing was decided to change things - it was more to have a forum of the stakeholders allowing them to express themselves," said an IAAF spokesman. "Getting everyone together gave us a lot of food for thought." About 60 people attended Sunday's meeting in Monaco, including IAAF chief Lamine Diack and Namibian athlete Frankie Fredericks, now a member of the Athletes' Commission. "I am very happy to see you all, members of the athletics family, respond positively to the IAAF call to sit together and discuss what more we can do in the fight against doping," said Diack. "We are the leading Federation in this field and it is our duty to keep our sport clean." The two task forces will report back to the IAAF Council, at its April meeting in Qatar. | sport |
Dibaba breaks 5,000m world record
Ethiopia's Tirunesh Dibaba set a new world record in winning the women's 5,000m at the Boston Indoor Games.
Dibaba won in 14 minutes 32.93 seconds to erase the previous world indoor mark of 14:39.29 set by another Ethiopian, Berhane Adera, in Stuttgart last year. But compatriot Kenenisa Bekele's record hopes were dashed when he miscounted his laps in the men's 3,000m and staged his sprint finish a lap too soon. Ireland's Alistair Cragg won in 7:39.89 as Bekele battled to second in 7:41.42. "I didn't want to sit back and get out-kicked," said Cragg. "So I kept on the pace. The plan was to go with 500m to go no matter what, but when Bekele made the mistake that was it. The race was mine." Sweden's Carolina Kluft, the Olympic heptathlon champion, and Slovenia's Jolanda Ceplak had winning performances, too. Kluft took the long jump at 6.63m, while Ceplak easily won the women's 800m in 2:01.52. | sport |
Isinbayeva claims new world best
Pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva broke her own indoor world record by clearing 4.89 metres in Lievin on Saturday.
It was the Russian's 12th world record of her career and came just a few days after she cleared 4.88m at the Norwich Union Grand Prix in Birmingham. The Olympic champion went on to attempt 5.05m at the meeting on France but failed to clear that height. In the men's 60m, former Olympic 100m champion Maurice Greene could only finish second to Leonard Scott. It was Greene's second consecutive defeat at the hands of his fellow American, who also won in Birmingham last week. "I ran my race perfectly," said Scott, who won in 6.46secs, his best time indoors. "I am happy even if I know that Maurice is a long way from being at his peak at the start of the season." | sport |
O'Sullivan commits to Dublin race
Sonia O'Sullivan will seek to regain her title at the Bupa Great Ireland Run on 9 April in Dublin.
The 35-year-old was beaten into fourth at last year's event, having won it a year earlier. "I understand she's had a solid winter's training down in Australia after recovering from a minor injury," said race director Matthew Turnbull. Mark Carroll, Irish record holder at 3km, 5km and 10km, will make his debut in the mass participation 10km race. Carroll has stepped up his form in recent weeks and in late January scored an impressive 3,000m victory over leading American Alan Webb in Boston. Carroll will be facing stiff competition from Australian Craig Mottram, winner in Dublin for the last two years. | sport |
Hansen 'delays return until 2006'
British triple jumper Ashia Hansen has ruled out a comeback this year after a setback in her recovery from a bad knee injury, according to reports.
Hansen, the Commonwealth and European champion, has been sidelined since the European Cup in Poland in June 2004. It was hoped she would be able to return this summer, but the wound from the injury has been very slow to heal. Her coach Aston Moore told the Times: "We're not looking at any sooner than 2006, not as a triple jumper." Moore said Hansen may be able to return to sprinting and long jumping sooner, but there is no short-term prospect of her being involved again in her specialist event. "There was a problem with the wound healing and it set back her rehabilitation by about two months, but that has been solved and we can push ahead now," he said. "The aim is for her to get fit as an athlete - then we will start looking at sprinting and the long jump as an introduction back to the competitive arena." Moore said he is confident Hansen can make it back to top-level competition, though it is unclear if that will be in time for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne next March, when she will be 34. "It's been a frustrating time for her, but it has not fazed her determination," he added. | sport |
Off-colour Gardener storms to win
Britain's Jason Gardener shook off an upset stomach to win the 60m at Sunday's Leipzig International meeting.
Gardener clocked 6.56 seconds to equal the meeting record and finished well ahead of Germany's Marc Blume, who crossed the line in 6.67 secs. The world indoor champion said: "I got to the airport and my stomach was upset and I was vomiting. I almost went home. "I felt a little better Sunday morning but decided I'd only run in the main race. Then everything went perfectly." Gardener, part of the Great Britain 4x100m quartet that won gold at the Athens Olympics, will now turn his attention to next weekend's Norwich Union European Indoor trials in Sheffield.
"Given I am still off-colour I know there is plenty more in the tank and I expect to get faster in the next few weeks," he said. "It's just a case of chipping away as I have done in previous years and the results will come." Scotland's Ian Mackie was also in action in Leipzig. He stepped down from his favoured 400m to 200m to finish third in 21.72 secs. Germany's Alexander Kosenkow won the race in 21.07 secs with Dutchman Patrick van Balkom second in 21.58 secs. There were plenty of other senior British athletes showing their indoor form over the weekend. Promising 60m hurdler
clocked a new UK record of 7.98 seconds at a meeting in Norway. The 24-year-old reached the mark in her heat but had to settle for joint first place with former AAA champion Diane Allahgreen in the final.
, who broke onto the international scene at the Olympic Games last season, set an indoor personal best of 16.50m in the triple jump at a meeting in Ghent. That leap - 37cm short of Brazilian winner Jadel Gregorio's effort - was good enough to qualify for the European Indoor Championships. At the same meeting,
finished third in 7.27 seconds in a high-class women's 60m. The event was won by European medal favourite Christine Arron of France while Belgium rival Kim Gevaert was second. Britain's Joice Maduaka finished fifth in 7.35. Olympic bronze heptathlon medallist
made a low-key return to action at an indoor meeting in Birmingham. The 28-year-old cleared 1.76m to win the high jump and threw 13.86m in the women's shot put. | sport |
Collins to compete in Birmingham
World and Commonwealth 100m champion Kim Collins will compete in the 60m at the Norwich Union Grand Prix in Birmingham on 18 February.
The St Kitts and Nevis star joins British Olympic relay gold medallists Jason Gardener and Mark Lewis-Francis. Sydney Olympic 100m champion and world indoor record holder Maurice Greene and Athens Olympic 100m silver medallist Francis Obikwelu will also take part. Collins ran in Birmingham at the 2003 World Indoor Championships. "I'm looking forward to competing against such a strong field," he said. "I got a great reception form the crowd at the NIA when I won my 60m world indoor silver medal in 2003 and it will be really exciting to return to this venue." The world champion says he's in good shape but he isn't underestimating the home competition. "Jason Gardener and Mark Lewis-Francis are Olympic gold medallists now and I'm sure they'll be aiming to win in front of their home supporters. "I'm looking forward to competing against Britain's best sprinters and I'm sure the 60 metres will be one of the most exciting races of the evening." Collins was sixth in the Olympic final in Athens but is hoping for a better result at the World Championships in Finland this summer. "This will be a big year for me and I plan to defend my 100m world title in Helsinki in August. Before then I want to perform well over 60m indoors and start my year in winning form." | sport |
Radcliffe yet to answer GB call
Paula Radcliffe has been granted extra time to decide whether to compete in the World Cross-Country Championships.
The 31-year-old is concerned the event, which starts on 19 March in France, could upset her preparations for the London Marathon on 17 April. "There is no question that Paula would be a huge asset to the GB team," said Zara Hyde Peters of UK Athletics. "But she is working out whether she can accommodate the worlds without too much compromise in her marathon training." Radcliffe must make a decision by Tuesday - the deadline for team nominations. British team member Hayley Yelling said the team would understand if Radcliffe opted out of the event. "It would be fantastic to have Paula in the team," said the European cross-country champion. "But you have to remember that athletics is basically an individual sport and anything achieved for the team is a bonus. "She is not messing us around. We all understand the problem." Radcliffe was world cross-country champion in 2001 and 2002 but missed last year's event because of injury. In her absence, the GB team won bronze in Brussels. | sport |
Edwards tips Idowu for Euro gold
World outdoor triple jump record holder and BBC pundit Jonathan Edwards believes Phillips Idowu can take gold at the European Indoor Championships.
Idowu landed 17.30m at the British trials in Sheffield last month to lead the world triple jump rankings. "It's all down to him, but if he jumps as well as he did in Sheffield he could win the gold medal," said Edwards. "His ability is undoubted but all his best performances seem to happen in domestic meetings."
Idowu made his breakthrough five years ago but so far has only a Commonwealth silver medal to his name. Edwards himself kept Idowu off top spot at the Manchester Games. But he believes the European Indoors in Madrid represent a chance for the 26-year-old to prove his credentials as Britain's top triple jumper. "He has to start producing at international level and here is the beginning," said Edwards. "Phillips still needs to be much more consistent. I'm sure a victory in Madrid will build up his confidence and self-belief that he can be best in the world." The qualifying round of the men's triple jump in Madrid takes place on Friday with the final scheduled for Saturday. Olympic champion Christian Olsson will not be taking part as he is out for the entire indoor season with an ankle injury. | sport |
Kenya lift Chepkemei's suspension
Kenya's athletics body has reversed a ban on marathon runner Susan Chepkemei after she made an official apology.
Athletics Kenya (AK) had suspended the two-time London Marathon runner-up for failing to turn up to a cross-country team training camp in Embu. "We have withdrawn the ban. Chepkemei has given a reason for her absence," said AK chief Isaiah Kiplagat. "She explained she had a contract with the organisers of the race in Puerto Rice and we have accepted her apology."
The Kenyan coaching team will now decide whether Chepkemei can be included in the team for this month's world cross country championships. The 29-year-old would be a strong contender at the event in France and is hopeful she will be granted a place in the 32-strong squad. "I am satisfied that the whole saga has been brought to an end," Chepkemei said. "I am ready and prepared to represent my country. "I will be disappointed if I am not given a chance to compete at the world cross country championships." AK had insisted it was making an example of Chepkemei by banning her from competition until the end of 2005. But the organisation came under intense international and domestic pressure to reverse its decision. The 29-year-old took part in the 2002 and 2003 London Marathons and was edged out by Radcliffe in an epic New York Marathon contest last year.
The two-time world half-marathon silver medallist will be back to challenge Radcliffe at this year's London event in April. AK also dropped its harsh stance on three-time world cross country 4km champion Edith Masai. Masai missed Kenya's world cross country trials because of an ankle problem but AK insisted it would take disciplinary action unless she could prove she was really injured. "Subject to our doctor's confirmation, we have decided to clear Masai," added Kiplagat. | sport |
McIlroy aiming for Madrid title
Northern Ireland man James McIlroy is confident he can win his first major title at this weekend's Spar European Indoor Championships in Madrid.
The 28-year-old has been in great form in recent weeks and will go in as one of the 800 metres favourites. "I believe after my wins abroad and in our trial race in Sheffield, I can run my race from the front, back or middle," said McIlroy. New coach Tony Lester has helped get McIlroy's career back on track. The 28-year-old 800 metres runner has not always matched his promise with performances but believes his decision to change coaches and move base will bring the rewards. McIlroy now lives in Windsor and feels his career has been transformed by the no-nonsense leadership style of former Army sergeant Lester. Lester is better known for his work with 400m runners Roger Black and Mark Richardson in the past but under his guidance McIlroy has secured five wins this indoor season.
McIlroy now claims he is in his best shape since finishing fourth for Ireland at the outdoor European Championships in 1998. "That was my last decent year," said McIlroy, who temporarily retired last August before returning to the sport under Lester's shrewd guidance. "Before, every race was like trying to climb Mount Everest and I now know you can't do it on your own. "Trying to succeed saw me sometimes standing half-dead and terrified on the starting line, which became a bit too much." McIlroy, who was compared to the likes of Sebastian Coe, Steve Cram and Steve Ovett in his younger days, is now competing without the benefit of National Lottery funding. That situation could change if he maintains his current form and repeats the world-class times he produced in the 800m and 1000m at major races in Erfurt and Stuttgart earlier this season. Russian Dmitriy Bogdanov won at the same Madrid venue last week and then claimed the European Championship race would be between himself, Dutchman Arnoud Okken and Antonio Reina of Spain but McIlroy is unfazed.
He admitted: "He looked quite good in his win and fair enough everyone has the right to their own opinion. "I never write myself off and let's face it, I haven't or looked like being beaten this season." And McIlroy, whose time of one minute 46.68seconds in Erfurt elevated him to sixth place on the UK All-Time list, is also already looking beyond Madrid. He said: "I've been much more focused this year about my career and having such a good team around me has been very important. "Ultimately of course, this weekend is a means to an end and that is getting prepared for the summer's world championships. "That ambition has meant that I've had only two nights out since last August. The rest of my time has seen me just concentrating on rebuilding my career." | sport |
UK Athletics agrees new kit deal
UK Athletics has agreed a new deal with adidas to supply Great Britain squads of all ages with their kit for the next four years.
The German-based firm kitted out Team GB at the 2004 Olympics and has deals with 20 other national Olympic bodies. UK Athletics chief David Moorcroft said: "The Athens experience can now be extended to more major championships. "In the year ahead these include the European indoor and World outdoor championships. We are delighted." Moorcroft added: "It is hugely beneficial to the sport that the adidas commitment will also provide for officials and other personnel at our world-class series of live televised events." This week, UK Athletics also agreed a four-year deal with energy drink company, Red Bull, who will be supplying the product to athletics at major domestic meetings and in high performance centres. | sport |
Verdict delay for Greek sprinters
Greek athletics' governing body has postponed by two weeks the judgement on sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou for missing doping tests.
The pair are facing lengthy bans for the missed tests, including one on the eve of last year's Athens Olympics. They were set to learn their fate by the end of February, but late evidence from them has pushed the date back. "A decision is now expected by around mid-March," said one of their lawyers, Michalis Dimitrakopoulos. Kenteris, 31, who won the men's 200m title at the 2000 Sydney Games and Thanou, 30, who won the women's 100m silver medal in Sydney, face a maximum two-year ban if found guilty. The athletes, who spectacularly withdrew from the Athens Olympics, have been suspended by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) for missing the three tests. The IAAF said the sprinters had failed to provide samples for tests in Tel Aviv, Chicago and Athens and ordered Greek athletic's governing body, Segas, to hold a disciplinary inquiry. The athletes also face a criminal hearing in Greece over the missed drugs tests and have been charged with faking a motorcycle accident on the day of the Athens test, which led to them spending four days in hospital. Following the final hearing in late January, the athletes sounded confident they would be acquitted. "I am confident and optimistic," Thanou had said at the time. "We presented new evidence to the committee that they were not aware of." It was not clear what this new evidence was. | sport |
Call for Kenteris to be cleared
Kostas Kenteris' lawyer has called for the doping charges against the Greek sprinter to be dropped.
Gregory Ioannidis has submitted new evidence to a Greek athletics tribunal which he claims proves the former Olympic champion has no case to answer. Kenteris and compatriot Katerina Thanou were given provisional suspensions in December for failing to take drugs tests before the Athens Olympics. The Greek tribunal is expected to give its verdict early next week. Kenteris and Thanou withdrew from the Athens Olympics last August after missing drugs tests on the eve of the opening ceremony. They were also alleged to have avoided tests in Tel Aviv and Chicago before the Games.
But Ioannidis said: "Everything overwhelmingly shows that the charges should be dropped." Ioannidis also said he has presented evidence that will throw a different light on the events leading up to the pair's sensational withdrawal from the Athens Games. The lawyer added that he has proof the authorities "knew" Kenteris was in Germany at the time he was alleged to have missed a test in Chicago. Nick Davies, spokesman for athletics' ruling body the IAAF, which handed out the provisional bans, said: "We can't comment because we were not present at the hearing and don't know what was said behind closed doors. "We expect a verdict from the Greek Athletics Federation before the end of February and will obviously be making a statement then." Kenteris won 200m gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, while Thanou won silver in the 100m. | sport |
Merritt close to indoor 400m mark
Teenager LaShawn Merritt ran the third fastest indoor 400m of all time at the Fayetteville Invitational meeting.
The world junior champion clocked 44.93 seconds to finish well clear of fellow American Bershawn Jackson in Arkansas. Only Michael Johnson has gone quicker, setting the world record of 44.63secs in 1995 and running 44.66secs in 1996. Kenyan Bernard Lagat missed out on the world record by 1.45secs as he ran the third quickest indoor mile ever to beat Canada's Nate Brannen by almost 10secs. The Olympic silver medallist's time of three minutes 49.89secs was inferior only to the 1997 world record of Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj and former world record holder Eamonn Coghlan of Ireland's 3:49.78. Lagat was on course to break El Guerrouj's record through 1200m but could not maintain the pace over the final 400m. Ireland's
continued his excellent form by winning a tight 3,000m in 7:40.53. Cragg, who recently defeated Olympic 10,000m champion Kenenisa Bekele in Boston, held off Bekele's Ethiopian colleague Markos Geneti by only 0.19secs to secure his victory. Mark Carroll, who will join Cragg in the European Indoor Championships next month, finished a solid third in 7:46.78. Olympic 200m gold medallist
of Jamaica ran the fastest women's 60m in the world this year as she equalled her personal best of 7.09secs. World indoor 60m hurdles champion
also won, improving his season-leading time to 7.51secs. | sport |
London hope over Chepkemei
London Marathon organisers are hoping that banned athlete Susan Chepkemei will still take part in this year's race on 17 April.
Chepkemei was suspended from all competition until the end of the year by Athletics Kenya after failing to report to a national training camp. "We are watching it closely," said London race director David Bedford. "There is a long way to go before the race and we are hoping the situation will be satisfactorily resolved." The camp in Embu was to prepare for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships later this month. Chepkemei however took part and finished third in last Sunday's world best 10K race in Puerto Rico. The 29-year-old has finished second to Paula Radcliffe in the 2002 and 2003 London races as well as in November's New York City marathon. | sport |
Edwards tips Idowu for Euro gold
World outdoor triple jump record holder and BBC pundit Jonathan Edwards believes Phillips Idowu can take gold at the European Indoor Championships.
Idowu landed 17.30m at the British trials in Sheffield last month to lead the world triple jump rankings. "It's all down to him, but if he jumps as well as he did in Sheffield he could win the gold medal," said Edwards. "His ability is undoubted but all his best performances seem to happen in domestic meetings."
Idowu made his breakthrough five years ago but so far has only a Commonwealth silver medal to his name. Edwards himself kept Idowu off top spot at the Manchester Games. But he believes the European Indoors in Madrid represent a chance for the 26-year-old to prove his credentials as Britain's top triple jumper. "He has to start producing at international level and here is the beginning," said Edwards. "Phillips still needs to be much more consistent. I'm sure a victory in Madrid will build up his confidence and self-belief that he can be best in the world." The qualifying round of the men's triple jump in Madrid takes place on Friday with the final scheduled for Saturday. Olympic champion Christian Olsson will not be taking part as he is out for the entire indoor season with an ankle injury. | sport |
Chepkemei hit by big ban
Kenya's athletics body has suspended two-time London Marathon runner-up Susan Chepkemei from all competition until the end of the year.
Athletics Kenya (AK) issued the ban after Chepkemei failed to turn up for a cross country training camp in Embu. "We have banned her from all local and international competitions," said AK chief Isaiah Kiplagat. "We shall communicate this decision to the IAAF and all meet directors all over the world." The 29-year-old finished second to Paula Radcliffe in the 2002 and 2003 London races, and was also edged out in an epic New York Marathon contest last year.
But the ban will prevent the two-time world half-marathon silver medallist from challenging Radcliffe at this year's London event in April. Global Sports Communications, Chepkemei's management company, said she had wanted to run in the World Cross Country Championships in March. But AK maintained it was making an example of Chepkemei as a warning to other Kenyan athletes. "We are taking this action in order to salvage our pride," said Kiplagat. "We have been accused of having no teeth to bite with and that agents are ruling over us." KA has also threatened three-time women's short-course champion Edith Masai with a similar ban if reports that she feigned injury to avoid running at the cross country world championships are true. Masai missed the national trials in early February, but was included in the provisional team on the proviso that she ran in a regional competition. She failed to run in the event, citing a leg injury. | sport |
Holmes secures comeback victory
Britain's Kelly Holmes marked her first appearance on home soil since winning double Olympic gold with 1500m victory at the Norwich Union International.
Holmes hit the front just before the bell in front of a sell-out crowd in Glasgow and cruised to victory in a time of four minutes 14.74 seconds. "It was nice to get that out of the way. I was nervous about whether I would actually be able to get round. "I felt good. I just had to relax and use my racing knowledge," said Holmes. "It was all about winning in front of my home crowd. The time is irrelevant. "I got round in one piece and didn't disgrace myself. Now it's about going forward. "The reception I've had since the Olympics has been amazing and that's why I wanted to keep running this year, because I get a buzz from the crowd." Holmes ran a tactically perfect race to finish clear of France's Hind Dehiba and Russia's Svetlana Cherkasova. The Olympic 800m and 1500m champion's time was inside the qualifying mark for the European Indoor Championships in Madrid in March. But the 34-year-old would not reveal whether she intended to run or not, having previously indicated she would leave a decision until after the Birmingham Grand Prix on 18 February. | sport |
Greek pair attend drugs hearing
Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou have appeared before an independent tribunal which will decide if their bans should stand.
They were given provisional suspensions by athletics' ruling body the IAAF in December for failing to take drugs tests before the Athens Olympics. The pair arrived with former coach Christos Tzekos to give evidence at the Hellenic Olympic Committee's offices. A decision is expected to be announced before the end of February. Whatever the ruling, all parties will have the right to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Yiannis Papadoyiannakis, who was head of the Greek Olympic team at the Athens Games last year, also testified at the tribunal, along with other Greek sports officials and athletes. "I believe the tribunal will reach a decision that will uphold the standing of the institution," said Papadoyiannakis. "Whatever the athletes have done, we must not forget that they have offered us great moments." Kenteris won 200m gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, while Thanou won silver in the 100m.
They withdrew from the Athens Games last August after missing drugs tests on the eve of the opening ceremony. The pair spent four days in a hospital, claiming they had been injured in a motorcycle crash. The five-member tribunal, assembled by the Hellenic Association of Amateur Athletics, is also examining allegations that Kenteris and Thanou avoided tests in Tel Aviv and Chicago before the Games. Tzekos was also banned for two years by the IAAF. He faces charges of assisting in the use of prohibited substances and tampering with the doping inspection process. All three, who have repeatedly denied the allegations, have also been charged by a Greek prosecutor and face trial for doping-related charges. A trial date has not been set. In imposing two-year suspensions on the duo on 22 December, the IAAF described their explanations for missing the tests as "unacceptable". But Kenteris' lawyer Gregory Ioannidis told BBC Sport earlier this week he was confident the sprinters would be cleared of the charges of failing to give information on their location and refusing to submit to testing. "We refute both charges as unsubstantiated and illogical," he said. "There have been certain breaches in the correct application of the rules on behalf of the sporting authorities and their officials, and these procedural breaches have also violated my client's rights. "There is also evidence that proves the fact that my client has been persecuted." | sport |
Chepkemei joins Edinburgh line-up
Susan Chepkemei has decided she is fit enough to run in next month's Great Edinburgh International Cross Country.
The Kenyan was initially unsure if she would have recovered from her gruelling tussle with Paula Radcliffe in the New York Marathon in time to compete. But she has declared herself up to the task and joins a field headed by World cross country champion Benita Johnson. Race director Matthew Turnbull said: "Susan will add even more strength in depth to the world-class line up." Chepkemei, who won the six kilometre event three years ago when it was staged in Newcastle, endured an epic battle with Radcliffe in the Big Apple until the Briton outsprinted her in the final 400m. Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia will defend the title she won last year in Tyneside - before the race was moved north of the border. Recently-crowned European cross country champion Briton Hayley Yelling also competes in Edinburgh on 15 January, as does in-form Scot Kathy Butler. | sport |
El Guerrouj targets cross country
Double Olympic champion Hicham El Guerrouj is set to make a rare appearance at the World Cross Country Championships in France.
But the Moroccan, who has not raced over cross country for 15 years, will not decide until two weeks before the event which starts on 19 March. "If I am to compete in it, it is only if I feel I can win," said the 30-year-old, who is retiring in 2006. "Otherwise there is not much point in me going." El Guerrouj achieved a lifetime ambition last August when he clinched his first Olympic titles over 1500m and 5,000m. But the four-time world 1500m champion is still hungry for more success before calling time on his career. The 30-year-old has set his sights on clinching the world 5,000m crown in Helsinki this summer. And he is aiming to break 10,000m Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele's 5,000m and 10,000m world records.
El Guerrouj could meet Bekele in March as the Ethiopian is the defending world cross country champion over both the long and short courses. But the Moroccan will not commit himself to the St Galmier event until he assesses how well his winter training is going. "The return to training was very difficult because I accepted a lot of invitations these past few months," said El Guerrouj. "I am almost a month behind but I am on the right track."
- Britain's Paula Radcliffe has also not ruled out competing in the World Cross Country Championships. "I haven't quite decided what events I will compete in prior to London but the World Cross Country is an event which is also special to me and is a definite possibility," said the two-time champion. | sport |
Collins appeals against drugs ban
Sprinter Michelle Collins has lodged an appeal against her eight-year doping ban with the North American Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The 33-year-old received the ban last month as a result of her connection to the federal inquiry into the Balco doping scandal. She is the first athlete to be banned without a positive drugs test or an admission of drugs use. CAS has said that a ruling is normally given within four months of an appeal. Collins was suspended by the US Anti-Doping Agency based on patterns observed in her blood and urine tests as well as evidence in the Balco investigation. As well as being hit with the ban, Collins was stripped of her 2003 world and US indoor 200m titles. The San Francisco-based Balco laboratory is at the centre of the scandal which has rocked the sport. The company has been accused of distributing illegal performance-enhancing drugs to elite athletes. | sport |
Holmes feted with further honour
Double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes has been voted European Athletics (EAA) woman athlete of 2004 in the governing body's annual poll.
The Briton, made a dame in the New Year Honours List for taking 800m and 1,500m gold, won vital votes from the public, press and EAA member federations. She is only the second British woman to land the title after- Sally Gunnell won for her world 400m hurdles win in 1993. Swedish triple jumper Christian Olsson was voted male athlete of the year. The accolade is the latest in a long list of awards that Holmes has received since her success in Athens. In addition to becoming a dame, she was also named the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in December. Her gutsy victory in the 800m also earned her the International Association of Athletics Federations' award for the best women's performance in the world for 2004. And she scooped two awards at the British Athletics Writers' Association annual dinner in October. | sport |
Campbell to extend sprint career
Darren Campbell has set his sights on running quicker than ever after deciding not to retire from sprinting.
Campbell, who won Olympic 4x100m relay gold, had been unsure about his future. But he told Five Live's Sportsweek: "I had to get back into training before I could decide because if I didn't have the same hunger I'd have to walk away. "I've started back and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I'm looking forward to it. I've got to run under 10 seconds (for 100m) and under 20 seconds (for 200m)." Campbell was part of the British quartet who shocked the Americans to win relay gold in Athens in August.
The Newport-based athlete and team-mates Jason Gardener, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis-Francis were rewarded with MBEs in the New Year Honours List. Campbell's relay triumph made up for his disappointing displays in the individual 100m and 200m events in Athens, when he failed to reach the finals. The 31-year-old, who won Olympic 200m silver in Sydney in 2000, said during the Games that a hamstring injury had stopped him from running at his best.
He was criticised at the time by former Olympic champion Michael Johnson, who cast doubt on Campbell's injury claims. "To go to Athens and finally get the gold I've been trying to get for 24 years was a big relief," said Campbell. "It was a chance for me to prove that if I'd been fit I would have been challenging for the (individual) medals. "Every season I go and challenge for the medals so why would last season have been any different? "It's just unfortunate that I picked up that injury just before the Olympics." Campbell set his 100m personal best of 10.04secs when he won the European title in Budapest in 1998. And he ran 20.13secs in the quarter-finals of the 200m in Sydney on the way to Olympic silver. | sport |
Isinbayeva heads for Birmingham
Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva has confirmed she will take part in the 2005 Norwich Union Grand Prix in Birmingham on 18 February.
"Everybody knows how much I enjoy competing in Britain. I always seem to break records there," said Isinbayeva. "As Olympic champion there will be more attention on me this year, but hopefully I can respond with another record in Birmingham." Kelly Holmes and Carolina Kluft are among other Athens winners competing. The organisers are hoping that Isinbayeva's main rival, fellow Russian Svetlana Feofanova, will also take part in the event. The pair had a thrilling battle in Athens which ended with Isinbayeva finally jumping a world record of 4.91m to claim the gold medal. Isinbayeva, 22, has set 10 world records in the pole vault, three of which have come on British soil. | sport |
2004: An Irish Athletics Year
2004 won't be remembered as one of Irish athletics' great years.
The year began with that optimism which invariably and unaccountably, seems to herald an upcoming Olympiad. But come late August, a few hot days in the magnificent stadium in Athens told us of the true strength of Irish athletics - or to be more accurate, the lack of it. Sonia O'Sullivan's Olympic farewell apart, there was little to stir the emotions of Irish athletics watchers. But after the disastrous build-up to the games, we shouldn't have been surprised. At the start of the year, an O'Sullivan had been earmarked as Ireland's best medal prospect but as it turned out, walker Gillian never even made it to the start line because of injury. Less than a week before the Olympics, the sport was rocked by news that 10,000m hope Cathal Lombard had tested for the banned substance EPO. Lombard's shattering of Mark Carroll's national 10,000m record in April had already set tongues wagging but even the most cynical of observers, were surprised when he was rumbled after an Irish Sports Council sting operation. The Corkman quickly held his hands up in admission and was promptly handed a two-year ban from the sport.
Back at pre-Olympic ranch in Greece, it must have seemed that things couldn't have got any worse but they very nearly did with walker Jamie Costin lucky to escape with his life after being involved in a car crash near Athens. Once the track and field action began in Athens, a familiar pattern of underachievement emerged although Alistair Cragg's performance in being the only athlete from a European nation to qualify for the 5,000m final did offer hope for the future. Our beloved Sonia scraped into the women's 5K final as a fastest loser and for a couple of days, the country attempted to delude itself into believing that she might be in the medal shake-up. As it happened, she went out the back door early in the final although there was nothing undignified about the way that she insisted on finishing the race over a minute behind winner Meseret Defar. It later transpired that Sonia had been suffering from a stomach bug in the 48 hours before the final although typically, the Cobhwoman played down the effects of the illness. Amazingly, she was back in action a couple of weeks later when beating a world-class field at the Flora Lite 5K road race in London and while her major championship days may be over, it's unlikely that we have seen the last of her in competition. At least Sonia managed to make it to Athens. At the start of the year, several Northern Ireland athletes had genuine hopes of qualifying for the Games but come August, an out-of-form and injured Paul Brizzel was the lone standard bearer for the province. The Ballymena man gave it a lash but his achilles problem, and a bad lane draw, meant a time of 21.00 and an early exit.
James McIlroy, Gareth Turnbull, Zoe Brown and Paul McKee all had to be content with watching the Athens action on their television screens. 800m hope McIlroy never got near his best during the summer and a fourth place in the British trials effectively ended his hopes of making the plane. The injury-plagued Turnbull gamely travelled round Europe in search of the 1500m qualifying mark but 3:39 was the best he could achieve, after missing several months training during the previous winter. A lingering hamstring probem and a virus wrecked McKee's Athens ambitions and both he and Turnbull deserve a slice of better fortune in 2005. Pole vaulter Brown had hoped for a vote of confidence from the British selectors after she had achieved the Athens B standard but the call never came. As the summer ended, stalwarts Catherina McKiernan and Dermot Donnelly hung up their competitive spikes. McKiernan had to candidly acknowledge that time had crept up on her after several injury-ravaged years. Donnelly and his Annadale Striders team-mates later suffered tragedy when their friend and clubman Andy Campbell was found dead at his home on 18 December. A large turnout of athletics-loving folk turned out in west Belfast to offer their respects to the Campbell family and Andy's many friends. As only death can, it put the year's athletics happenings in a sharp perspective. | sport |
Sprinter Walker quits athletics
Former European 200m champion Dougie Walker is to retire from athletics after a series of six operations left him struggling for fitness.
Walker had hoped to compete in the New Year Sprint which is staged at Musselburgh Racecourse near Edinburgh on Tuesday and Wednesday. The 31-year-old Scot was suspended for two years in 1998 after testing positive for nandrolone. "I had intended to race but I'm running like a goon," said Walker. He told the Herald newspaper: "I'm not in great shape, after missing about a month of training. "I missed a big chunk of speed work over about three weeks, and then another week working in America. "If I'd had a half-decent mark it might have motivated me more, but I won't be racing. "I still enjoy training, but feel it's time to move on, and concentrate on a career." | sport |
Bekele sets sights on world mark
Olympic 10,000m champion Kenenisa Bekele is determined to add the world indoor two mile record at February's Norwich Union Grand Prix in Birmingham.
The 22-year-old will again be chasing a record held by his compatriot and mentor Haile Gebrselassie, who set the mark at the same meeting in 2003. "I am still as hungry to do as much as I can in this sport," said Bekele. "And aiming for the two mile world record in Birmingham is the next of those targets." Gebrselassie's current record stands at eight minutes, 04.69 seconds. And Bekele is no stranger to overhauling world marks at the National Indoor Arena. The Ethiopian broke the world indoor 5,000m record on his debut at the meeting last year. Compatriots Mulugeta Wondimu, Abiyote Abate and Markos Geneti, the world indoor bronze medallist over 3000m, will race against Bekele on 18 February. The meet has already attracted a crop of Olympic talent. Britain's 800m and 1500m champion Kelly Holmes is taking part in the 1000m. Swedish heptathlon gold medallist Carolina Kluft will contest the 60m hurdles. While men's 4x100m relay gold medallists Jason Gardener and Mark Lewis-Francis will go head-to-head in the 60m. | sport |
Greek sprinters suspended by IAAF
Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou have been suspended after failing to take drugs tests before the Athens Olympics.
Athletics' ruling body the IAAF said explanations from the pair and their former coach as to why they missed the tests were "unacceptable". It added that Kenteris and Thanou had been "provisionally suspended pending the resolution of their cases". They face two-year bans if found guilty by the Greek Athletics Federation. The suspension also covers the athletes' controversial coach, Christos Tzekos. Kenteris, the 2000 Olympic 200m champion, and Thanou, the women's 100m silver medallist from the same Games in Sydney, also face a criminal hearing in Greece over the missed tests. They failed to appear to give samples in Chicago and Tel Aviv shortly before the Athens Games and again in Athens on 12 August, the eve of the opening ceremony. Greek prosecutors have also charged them with faking a midnight motorcycle crash which led to them spending four days in hospital. Some medical staff have been charged with writing false medical reports. Wednesday's statement said the Greek Federation (SEGAS) would convene a disciplinary hearing for the trio to determine whether there had been doping violations.
"There will be a final right of appeal from the decision of the Greek Federation to the Court of Arbitration for Sport," the IAAF said. Tzekos insisted he and the runners had nothing to hide. "The IAAF's decision means nothing," he said. "We'll be presenting all our arguments to SEGAS - we're innocent." | sport |
Athens memories soar above lows
Well, it's goodbye to another Olympic year and as usual there were plenty of highs and lows in Athens.
Obviously, there's no getting away from the differing fortunes of Kelly Holmes and Paula Radcliffe. But I want to remind you of a few more events that made 2004 another year to remember - or forget - for athletics.
One of my favourite Olympic moments was Kelly's success in the 800m.
Winning that race was the key to her success because if she won that then the 1500m would be a bit of a formality. Kelly had been full of "should I, shouldn't I?" thoughts about going for the double in Athens. I thought why wouldn't you do the 800m, it's your best event? It was such good fun to commentate on her 1500m and it was nice to be able to be part of her Athens story.
The victory for the British men's 4x100m relay team was a bit of a surprise but a great climax to the Games. I think the four of them - Jason Gardener, Darren Campbell, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis-Francis - knew deep down that it was their best chance of a medal. The lads had run poorly in the individual sprints so maybe they did lift their game when they knew something was really at stake.
Hicham El Guerrouj's Olympic double is a much bigger achievement than Kelly's on a global scale.
He was the first man since for 80 years to win both the 1500m and 5,000m titles. As soon as he had added the 5,000m crown and I had finished commentating, I jumped up, ran down the stairs, pushed everyone out the way and just gave him a big hug. He is one of the few African runners who has embraced the tradition of the mile and he loves to hear all the Roger Bannister stories. Hicham is someone I enjoy having a bit of time with, even though my French and his English are not very good.
What happened to Paula in Athens this year is the obvious low on a personal level and for the expectations of the nation as well. There were a set of circumstances around Athens that conspired to produce a very dramatic ending which I think has been greatly misunderstood. Dropping out of the marathon was the right thing to do but starting in the 10,000m five days later was not wise. That was her heart and not her head reacting. Paula had a lot of little things going wrong in her preparation and on the day.
Things like niggling injuries, not being able to do all her running sessions and feeling the pressure of the race looming ahead of her. I think she came to the start line in Athens physically and emotionally drained. And if even the smallest thing doesn't feel right when you are preparing to race a marathon, 10 miles down the road it will hit you like a brick wall. The positive thing to take from Paula's Olympics it that she will have learned a lot from it and so will a lot of people - including me.
Purely as a race, Paula's victory in the New York Marathon has to go down as one of the most thrilling. It was so nip-and-tuck between her and Kenya's Susan Chepkemei and you don't usually get that kind of excitement in marathons. It was also a real delight for all athletics fans because, to use one of my favourite words, Paula showed real "bouncebackability". And it was a bit of a rarity for me too because I genuinely did not have an inkling how the race was going to pan out.
Kelly and the 4x100m boys' victories papered over the cracks in the general performance of the British team. We should be concerned that we're not producing enough people who are capable of reaching finals at senior level.
The only individual men's finalist on the track was Michael East in the 1500m. I am beginning to look down and wonder where are the new breed? And that's where things begin to look even gloomier for British athletics as we did not win any medals at the world junior championships in Italy. Dani Barnes came fourth in the 1500m and she was the highest finisher for Team GB. The thing is if we don't have athletes getting into the finals at junior level then it really doesn't look good for the Beijing Olympics and beyond.
I tell you what I really enjoyed this year, Benita Johnson winning the world cross country championships back in March. In the absence of Paula, we tend to think of the event as something of an African preserve. So to have an Australian come up and deliver such a surprise was something special.
To be honest, I'm getting bored with all the drug scandals, especially Balco. I just wish the whole thing would come to a head so we can move on.
Having said that, I'm always pleased when drugs cheats are caught because it shows the sport is standing up to it and not turning a blind eye anymore. And one of the positive things to come out of Balco is people are starting to blow the whistle. We need more people to come forward and help the authorities kick out the cheats. As regards the case against Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou, well suspicions have been hanging over Kenteris for a while. The bottom line is we cannot keep letting drugs damage the sport because if we do then it stops everyone enjoying it. | sport |
Collins banned in landmark case
Sprinter Michelle Collins has received an eight-year ban for doping offences after a hearing at the North American Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
America's former world indoor 200m champion is the first athlete to be suspended without a positive drugs test or an admission of drugs use. Collins' ban is a result of her connection to the federal inquiry into the Balco doping scandal. The 33-year-old was found guilty of using performance-enhancing drugs. The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) decided to press charges against Collins in the summer. The sprinter has consistently protested her innocence but the CAS has upheld USADA's findings. "The USADA has proved, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Collins took EPO, the testosterone/epitestosterone cream and THG," said a CAS statement. "Collins used these substances to enhance her performance and elude the drug testing that was available at the time." So far a total of 13 athletes have been sanctioned for violations involving drugs associated with the Balco doping scandal. World record holder Tim Montgomery is also facing a lifetime ban after being charged by the USADA. His hearing before the CSA has been rescheduled for June next year.
Drug enforcement chiefs in the US have vowed to crack down on cheats. USADA chief executive officer Terry Madden said the action taken against Collins was further proof of that. "The CAS panel's decision confirms that those who violate the rules will be sanctioned as part of USADA's ongoing efforts to protect the rights of the overwhelming majority of US athletes that compete drug-free," said Madden. The USADA has built its cases on verbal evidence given to the federal investigation into Balco rather than test results. The San Francisco-based Balco laboratory faces steroid distribution and money laundering charges. The trial is expected to open next March. | sport |
Jones doping probe begins
An investigation into doping claims against Marion Jones has been opened by the International Olympic Committee.
IOC president Jacques Rogge has set up a disciplinary body to look into claims by Victor Conte, of Balco Laboratories. Jones, who says she is innocent, could lose all her Olympic medals after Conte said he gave her performance-enhancing drugs before the Sydney Olympics. But Rogge said it was too early to speculate about that, hoping only that "the truth will emerge".
Any decision on the medals would be taken by the IOC's executive board and could hinge on interpretation of a rule stating that Olympic decisions can only be challenged within three years of the Games closing. The Sydney Olympics ended more than four years ago, but World Anti-Doping Agency chief Dick Pound said the rule may not apply because the allegations are only coming out now. "We will find a way to deal with that," Pound said. In a statement released through her attorney Rich Nichols, Jones repeated her innocence and vowed she would be cleared. "Victor Conte's allegations are not true and the truth will be revealed for the world to see as the legal process moves forward," she said. "Conte is someone who is under federal indictment and has a record of issuing contradictory, inconsistent statements." | sport |
Johnson accuses British sprinters
Former Olympic champion Michael Johnson has accused Britain's top sprinters of lacking pride and ambition.
"At the moment, the biggest factor on the mind of British sprinters is to be number one in Britain," the world 200m and 400m record holder told Five Live. "Athletics at the moment is all about international competitions and they need to show a little more pride." However, Linford Christie countered: "It's easy to criticise when you haven't gone through the system here." Johnson was involved in a verbal spat with Britain's Darren Campbell earlier this year. The American had cast doubt on Campbell's claims he had torn a hamstring in the wake of his failure to reach the Olympic 100m and 200m finals.
And the American remains highly critical of aspects of British sprinting. "The only time you see British sprinters getting upset or riled is when there is a debate as to which one is better than the other," he claimed. "Athletes here have to compete more outside the UK. Their focus has to be on being the best in the world and not just on being the top British sprinter." Speaking at an elite coaches' conference in Birmingham, Johnson also argued that although there has been more investment in the sport in Britain, it had not necessarily reaped the rewards. "You can't fix everything with money," he admitted. "You contrast the situation here to that of some US athletes who have no funding. "Those who aren't funded might be hungrier and more motivated because their road to success is a lot more difficult and challenging. "So when they get to the top they are more appreciative." | sport |
Radcliffe proves doubters wrong
This won't go down as one of the greatest marathons of Paula's career. But as a test of character, it was the toughest race she's ever taken part in.
A win in the New York marathon doesn't make up for the disappointment of Athens in any shape or form, but it will offer hope and reassurance for next year. If Paula's last experience of the year had been Athens, it would have been very difficult to look forward with any optimism. She can now draw a line under this year and make plans about her future. Even if she'd lost this race, there would have been a lot of positives to take out of it. She knows she can dig deep if she needs to. It was a strong field, with a number of the girls going into the race with expectations of winning. And although two hours 23 minutes wasn't one of Paula's best times, it wasn't far off the record on a difficult course.
I was speaking to Paula in the lead-up to this race and she said that in many ways she was facing a no-win situation. She thought that if she won, people would say "why couldn't she do that in Athens?" And if she lost, people would say her career was over. And a lot of people were wondering what would happen if Paula was forced to drop out of this race, as she did in the marathon and 10,000m in Athens. But that was never on the cards. She might have been beaten, but she would have kept running. The reasons she was forced to pull out in Athens - the niggling injuries, her lack of energy and the oppressive conditions - weren't at play here. The only question was what position she could finish in. Most important of all, despite all the hype in the media ahead of this race, there were never doubts in Paula's mind. If she wasn't confident, she wouldn't have run. After all, if you're the best in the world at an event, you'll always have expectations of winning.
Now Paula will take part in the Run London 10km race in London at the end of the year, have a well-earned rest over Christmas and go into next year with a lot of optimism. | sport |
Jones medals 'must go if guilty'
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) chief Dick Pound says Marion Jones should be stripped of all her medals if found guilty of taking banned substances.
Victor Conte, of Balco Laboratories, claims the American sprinter regularly used drugs to enhance her performance. "If she is found guilty she should be stripped of all her medals and banned for two years," said Pound. Asked if there was a timescale as to what medals could be taken, Pound said: "That is not an issue at all." However, under International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules, athletes can only be stripped of their medals if caught within three years of the event. Jones, who won five medals at the 2000 Olympics, denies using drugs and says she will take legal action over Conte's allegations. Balco Laboratories is the firm at the centre of a wide-reaching investigation into doping in the US. Pound continued: "If she has indeed taken drugs it is going to be a big disappointment for a lot of people." | sport |
Radcliffe tackles marathon tasks
Paula Radcliffe faces arguably the biggest test of her career in the New York City Marathon on Sunday.
Back under the spotlight of public scrutiny she will attempt to erase the double disappointment of the Athens Olympics, where she failed to finish the marathon and then the 10,000m. BBC Sport examines the challenges facing Radcliffe ahead of the big race.
The ability to run a gruelling 26.2 miles relies largely upon an athlete's belief that they can do it. Every runner will hit the wall at some stage and see written on it, "Are you strong enough to finish?"
The question could hit Radcliffe hard after she was unable to complete her last two races in high-profile and emotional circumstances. Sports psychologist Hugh Richards says the 30-year-old must draw on her past achievements to conquer a potential crisis of confidence. "There is an old adage, 'get straight back on the horse that threw you,'" Richards told BBC Sport. "Paula has got all those great runs in her history as well as the two upsets in Athens. "She must not lose faith in what has already been proven is a very effective strategy for distance running. "If she were to change her preparation and tactics that would be madness. "She wants to start rebuilding her confidence through performance accomplishment."
For much of the watching media and public there can only be two possible outcomes in New York - win or lose. If Radcliffe crosses the line first she will have proved her critics wrong. But if she fails to triumph, she risks being labelled a has-been and her profile will suffer. And for any athlete that can have repercussions in terms of sponsorship, appearance fees as well as further self esteem issues.
"Athletes need to try and stay focused on their internal controls and ignore external questions," explains Richards, who has worked with past Olympians. "She must not get caught up in someone else's agenda." Radcliffe's best friend and fellow distance runner Liz Yelling revealed the 30-year-old is already aware she will be exposing herself to more public scrutiny in New York. "She just thought, 'well, they can't think any worse of me now,'" Yelling told BBC Sport. "She's just doing what she wants to do and not thinking about the consequences of it."
Radcliffe described her decision to enter the New York marathon as "impulsive" but she is certain to have a tick-list of personal goals. Her aims could be as simple as completing a race and making sure she is still enjoying running but Richards says she must avoid more emotional targets, such as redemption. "You can't change history," warned Richards. "Only one person can win the marathon but lots of people can be successful. "Paula has to figure out what sort of things will she feel satisfied achieving by the end of the race."
The course from Staten Island to Central Park is renowned as one of the toughest in the world. It is also not the kind of fast course that tends to suit Radcliffe better, with the undulating finish through the park testing the legs' final reserves.
Radcliffe has never raced there before and will enter the unknown just 77 days after the Athens marathon. "It's suggested after a major marathon you take a full month off and start building up again," said Yelling, herself a marathon runner. "But that is only for long-term health and fitness. "When you finish a marathon you are still very fit and can recover quickly. So physically it is possible for Paula." Richards also points out conditions in New York will be more conducive to a strong physical display from Radcliffe. "The heat stress was the primary factor that tripped her up in Athens," he said. "And that just isn't going to be there in New York, that's been taken out of the equation."
Radcliffe concedes she will probably learn a lot from her bad experiences in Athens in time. And Richards and Yelling agree she could turn the trauma to her advantage, starting in New York. "How you respond to adversity is what marks you out as elite or not," argues Richards.
"One of the challenges of massive set backs is how you turn them into opportunities." And Yelling says: "I think this will probably make Paula." "I think it will drive her on and she'll come out of it a better athlete." | sport |
Gatlin and Hayes win Owen awards
American Olympic stars Justin Gatlin and Joanna Hayes have been named the winners of the 2004 Jesse Owens Awards, USA Track & Field's (USATF) top honour.
Gatlin, 22, won the closest 100m final in Games history with a career-best time of 9.85 seconds in Athens. He also won bronze in the 200m and silver in the 4x100m relay, becoming the only male athlete to win three athletics medals this summer. Hayes, 27, set an Olympic record of 12.37 in winning the 100m hurdles. Established in 1981, the Jesse Owens Awards - named in honour of the late Olympic great who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Games - are presented annually to the outstanding US male and female track and field performers.
The 2004 awards will be presented on 3 December in conjunction with the USATF annual meeting in Portland. "It is such a great honour to win the Jesse Owens Award," said Gatlin. "It is one of the biggest honours in track and field and it is a great end to a great year. " Hayes said: "Knowing some of the great people who have won this award before me and knowing what it represents, I feel a sense accomplishment and pride which lets me know that everything that I have worked for is and always will be worth it." | sport |
Radcliffe enjoys winning comeback
Paula Radcliffe made a triumphant return to competitive running with victory in the New York Marathon.
The Briton, running for the first time since dropping out of the Olympic marathon and 10,000m, held off Kenyan Susan Chepkemei in a thrilling finish. The pair were locked together for the last few miles before Radcliffe finally sprinted clear to win in two hours, 23 minutes and 10 seconds. "It's a good way to end the year," she said. "I'm ready for a good rest now." Radcliffe decided only recently to run in the race and many had doubted whether she had sufficiently recovered from her Olympic ordeal just 11 weeks ago. But the world record-holder was prominent at the head of the field for the whole race as her rivals slowly dropped off the pace. Just Chepkemei and Radcliffe were left in contention as the race came into the final few miles. The Kenyan put in several bursts of speed to throw off Radcliffe but the Briton managed to hang in. Both runners looked to be suffering as they reached the final mile in Central Park. But it was Radcliffe who managed to dredge up a final sprint to see off Chepkemei in the closest finish in the race's history and in the process make a huge step in erasing the disappointment she suffered in Athens. | sport |
Collins named UK Athletics chief
UK Athletics has ended its search for a new performance director by appointing psychologist Dave Collins.
Collins, who worked with the British teams at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, takes over from Max Jones. Six candidates were interviewed for the job, including Denise Lewis' coach Charles van Commenee and former British triple jumper Keith Connor. "We've searched long and hard to ensure we have found the right person," said UKA chief executive David Moorcroft. "We have thoroughly tested the candidates. I believe David will make a great leader and I have great faith in what he will achieve." Collins said: "It's a great challenge. Over the next few months I will spend time listening to those who already make a significant contribution to athletics and other elite sports in the UK." Collins, who has worked with javelin thrower Steve Backley in the past, started his career as a Royal Marine before becoming a PE teacher. He is currently professor of physical education and sport performance at Edinburgh University, where he helps competitors across many sports, including rugby, athletics, judo and football.
He has specialised in helping competitors fulfil their potential through psychology and has worked with the Great Britain women's curling team, who won gold at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Mark Lewis-Francis sought Collins' advice in Athens when he was looking for inspiration before he ran the final leg of Britain's surprise triumph in the 4x100m relay. Collins has played rugby at regional level, was captain of the Great Britain American Football team, and competed at national level in judo and karate. He arrives with British athletics at a crossroads. Despite Kelly Holmes' golden double and the success of the sprint relay squad, the GB team failed to live up to expectations in Athens. Many older competitors have retired or are coming to the end of their careers, and Britain failed to win a single medal at the world junior championships in Italy this year. Collins will not have day-to-day coaching contact with the athletes, but will be expected to make changes to the system and coaching set-up in order to secure medals at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. The appointment of a new performance director was one of the main recommendations in Sir Andrew Foster's review of the sport, which was published in May. It was commissioned by UK Sport and Sport England, which wanted UK Athletics to justify funding of more than £40m from the Government following the failure to hang on to the 2005 World Championships, which are now being held in Helsinki. Van Commenee dropped out of the selection process to take on the same role with the Dutch Olympic Committee, while Connor's application was rejected after an arduous interview process. Foster, however, declared himself satisfied with how the appointment was made. "The appointment of David Collins, with his strong mix of leadership skills and managerial experience, is testament to the professional and detailed recruitment process," he said. | sport |
White admits to Balco drugs link
Banned American sprinter Kelli White says she knowingly took steroids given to her by Bay Area Lab Co-Operative (Balco) president Victor Conte.
Conte faces a federal trial next year on charges of distributing steroids and tax evasion, and White said at first he tried to cover up what he was doing. "He's the one who told me that it wasn't what he said it was," White said in the San Francisco Chronicle. But she added: "It was my decision to go to him, not anybody else's." White said Conte at first told her the substance was flaxseed oil, only to change his story later. White failed a drugs test after winning the 100m and 200m titles at the 2003 world athletics championships. She was subsequently handed a two-year ban in May this year and has admitted taking the stimulant modafinil. At first, White claimed she took the drug to combat narcolepsy but she now takes full responsibility for her actions.
"My whole belief about Victor is that he was selling a product," White said in the LA Times. "Whether it be a good product or a bad product, he was selling a product." White was introduced to Conte through her coach Remy Korchemy, who is also a defendant in the Balco case. The 27-year-old believes doping is so common in sport she felt compelled to cheat herself if she was to have any chance of winning. "I have no clue what it's going to take to change that," said White. "I would say I made a mistake and I would never, ever go back. "I would never recommend anyone to take that route." | sport |
Trial date is set for Balco case
A US judge has set a preliminary trial date for the Balco steroid distribution case which has rocked athletics.
US district court judge Susan Ilston rejected an attempt by the defence team to have the case dismissed at a pre-trial hearing in San Francisco. And she set a March date for the case of the four men accused of distributing illegal performance-enhancing drugs to elite athletes to be heard. A firm decision on whether the trial takes place is expected in January. The judge said that she may conduct hearings in January into whether federal agents illegally searched the Balco headquarters and wrongfully obtained statements from the company's founder Victor Conte and its vice-president James Valente. The two men - along with personal trainer Greg Anderson and athletics coach Remy Korchemny - were all indicted earlier this year but have pleaded their innocence. The outcome of those hearings could result in some or all of the charges being dismissed. Conte said that he would be telling his side of the story on an American TV show on Friday.
"The world deserves to know the truth about performance-enhancing drugs," he said. Balco (The Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative) is the company at the centre of the scandal. The company has been accused by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) of being the source of the banned steroid THG and modafinil. The USADA claims that 10 athletes have received sanctions for testing positive for THG and modafinil. Former double world champion Kelli White and Olympic relay star Alvin Harrison have both been banned on the basis of materials discovered during the Balco investigation. Britain's former European 100m champion Dwain Chambers is currently serving a two-year ban after testing positive for THG in an out-of-competition test in 2003. | sport |
Radcliffe eyes hard line on drugs
Paula Radcliffe has called for all athletes found guilty on drugs charges to be treated as criminals.
The marathon world record holder believes more needs to be done to rid athletics of the "suspicions and innuendoes" which greet any fast time. "Doping in sport is a criminal offence and should be treated as such," the 30-year-old told the Sunday Times. "It not only cheats other athletes but also cheats promoters, sponsors and the general public."
Radcliffe's comments come at a time when several American sports stars are under suspicion of steroid use. "Being caught in possession of a performance-enhancing drugs should carry a penalty," she added.
"The current system does not detect many of the substances being abused by athletes. "This means that often athletes do not know if they are competing on a level playing field, if their hard work and sacrifice is being trumped by an easier scientific route. "Often, when an athlete puts in a good performance, they are subjected to suspicions and innuendoes instead of praise. "Having been on the receiving end of accusations like this I can testify as to how much this hurts." | sport |
Kenteris denies faking road crash
Greek sprinter Kostas Kenteris has denied claims that he faked a motorbike crash to avoid a doping test days before the start of the Olympics.
Kenteris and fellow sprinter Katerina Thanou are set to learn if they will face criminal charges this week. Part of the investigation has centred on whether they staged the crash. Kenteris insisted: "The accident happened. I went crazy when I found out I had supposedly missed a test and I wanted to rush to the Olympic village." Kenteris, speaking on Greece's Alter Television station, also claimed that he asked to be tested for banned substances in hospital after the crash. "I told the hospital, which was an Olympics-accredited hospital, to call the IOC and have me tested on the spot but no-one came."
After a drama which dominated newspaper headlines in Greece as Athens prepared for the start of the Athens Games, Kenteris and Thanou eventually withdrew. But Kenteris has continually protested his innocence - and on Sunday blamed Greek Olympic Committee officials and his former coach Christos Tzekos for failing to inform him of the test. The 31-year-old insisted he will be happy if he is charged so he can clear his name. "If a decision is taken to have charges filed against me, I will accept it gladly. "A prosecution means that the case will be cleared... I want to go to the end and then we'll see who's right and who isn't." Kenteris, a Greek hero after winning gold in the 200m at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, also confirmed that he was due to light the flame at the Athens opening ceremony. "I had even rehearsed lighting the cauldron," he said. | sport |
Greek pair set for hearing
Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou will fight the provisional two-year bans imposed on them by the IAAF at an independent tribunal this weekend.
Athletics' ruling body took action against the pair for failing to take drugs tests before the Athens Olympics. An independent tribunal of the Greek Track and Field Federation will meet to decide whether to ratify the sanction. The sprint duo face charges of failing to give information on their location and refusing to submit to a drugs test. Kenteris' lawyer Gregory Ioannidis told BBC Sport: "We refute both charges as unsubstantiated and illogical. "There have been certain breaches in the correct application of the rules on behalf of the sporting authorities and their officials, and these procedural breaches have also violated my client's rights. "There is also evidence that proves the fact that my client has been persecuted." Ioannidis, who is a law lecturer at the University of Buckingham, added: "One of the important rights and foundations of law and justice - that the accused should be presumed innocent unless proved otherwise - has been tarnished." The panel will also decide on the two-year ban imposed on the athletes' controversial coach Christos Tzekos by the IAAF. Kenteris, the 2000 Olympic 200m champion, and Thanou, the women's 100m silver medallist from the same Games in Sydney, quit the Olympics on 18 August after failing to give samples on the eve of the opening ceremony.
Testers could not find them at the Olympic village and the duo were later admitted to hospital after claiming to have been involved in a motorcycle accident. They also missed tests in Tel Aviv, Chicago and Athens before the Games. In imposing two-year suspensions on the duo on 22 December, the IAAF described their explanations for missing the tests as "unacceptable". Whatever the findings of the independent tribunal, all parties will have the right to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The tribunal hearing will take place at the Hellenic Olympic Committee building. It will start at 1200 GMT on Saturday and is expected to finish early next week. The tribunal panel will consist of five members - president Konstantinos Panagopoulos and Panagiotis Dimakos, Haralabos Hrisanthakis, Stilianos Perakis and Ioannis Karmis. Kenteris and Thanou also face criminal charges in Greece for allegedly faking the motorcycle accident. Eight criminal charges have been laid against the sprinters as well as Tzekos, an eyewitness to the accident and hospital officials. But there has been speculation that the charges could be dropped. | sport |
Jones files Conte lawsuit
Marion Jones has filed a lawsuit for defamation against Balco boss Victor Conte following his allegations that he gave her performance-enhancing drugs.
The Sydney Olympic gold medallist says Conte damaged her reputation and she is seeking $25m (£13m) in the suit. Conte, whose company is at the centre of a doping investigation, made the claims in a US television programme. He and three others were indicted in February by a federal grand jury for a variety of alleged offences. In an email to the Associated Press on Wednesday, Conte said: "I stand by everything I said". Jones won three gold medals and two bronzes in Sydney in 2000. Her lawsuit, filed in the US District Court in San Francisco, said the sprinter had passed a lie detector test and that she "has never taken banned performance-enhancing drugs". Conte's statements, the suit added, were "false and malicious". After the ABC television program earlier this month, Jones' lawyer Richard Nicholls said: "Marion has steadfastly maintained her position throughout: she has never, ever used performance-enhancing drugs. "Victor Conte is a man facing a 42-count federal indictment, while Marion Jones is one of America's most decorated female athletes. Mr Conte's statements have been wildly contradictory. "Mr Conte chose to make unsubstantiated allegations on television, while Marion Jones demanded to take and then passed a lie detector examination.
"Mr Conte is simply not credible. We challenge him to submit to the same lie detector procedure that Marion Jones passed." The sport's ruling body, the IAAF, is taking a cautious approach to Conte's allegations but contacted the US Anti-Doping Agency. Communications director Nick Davies said the IAAF would seek to contact Conte "for further information". But Davies stressed it would be up to the American authorities to decide whether they will take action against Jones in light of Conte's television interview and the world governing body would monitor the situation closely. "If it is felt there is case to answer, it would be for its national governing body (USA Track and Field) to take the appropriate disciplinary action," he added. "The US Anti-Doping Agency has proved itself to be very diligent in its anti-doping war. "And I am sure, like ourselves, they will be watching the television programme with great interest." Jones, who is under investigation for steroid use by the US Anti-Doping Agency, has continually denied ever taking illegal substances since being investigated in the Balco scandal, although she praised a zinc supplement Conte marketed. Jones, who did not win any medals in Athens in August, has never failed a drugs test. Meanwhile, Conte, who has been charged along with three other men of distributing illegal steroids and money laundering, is due to face trial in March. | sport |
IAAF awaits Greek pair's response
Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou are yet to respond to doping charges from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
The Greek pair were charged after missing a series of routine drugs tests in Tel Aviv, Chicago and Athens. They have until midnight on 16 December and an IAAF spokesman said: "We're sure their responses are on their way." If they do not respond or their explanations are rejected, they will be provisionally banned from competition. They will then face a hearing in front of the Greek Federation, which will ultimately determine their fate. Their former coach Christos Tzekos has also been charged with distributing banned substances. Under IAAF rules, the athletes could receive a maximum one-year suspension. Kenteris and Thanou already face a criminal trial after being charged with avoiding a drug test on the eve of the Athens Olympics and then faking a motorcyle crash.
No date for the trial has yet been set and again Tzekos is also facing charges. The IAAF issued an official warning to the trio last year after they were discovered training in Qatar rather than in Crete, where they had said they would be. All athletes must inform their national federations where they are at all times, so they can be available for out-of-competition drugs tests. But Kenteris and Thanou then went on to skip tests in Tel Aviv and Chicago, when they decided to fly back to Greece early. Then just before the Olympics, the pair dramatically missed another test in Athens and withdrew from the Games. | sport |
IAAF to rule on Greek sprint pair
Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou are expected to find out on Wednesday if they will be banned for missing drugs tests this summer.
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) council held a conference call on Tuesday and are set to announce their decision. Kenteris and Thanou could be suspended for up to two years. The duo withdrew from the Olympics after missing a test but claimed they had suffered a motorcycle crash. The Greek authorities have also brought criminal charges against the sprinters for avoiding a drugs test and faking an accident. Their former coach Christos Tzekos is also facing charges and all three are awaiting a trial date.
However, the IAAF will determine the sprinters' future on the track after carefully considering all the evidence. The sport's ruling body is expected to direct the Greek federation in what action it should take against the sprinters. Kenteris and Thanou can appeal against any decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The sprinters both sent written explanations to the IAAF, which have been taken into account. The IAAF sent an official warning to the sprinters and coach Tzekos after they were discovered training in Qatar rather than in Crete, where they had said they would be. But Kenteris and Thanou then went on to skip tests in Tel Aviv and Chicago, when they decided to fly back to Greece early. Just before the Olympics, the pair dramatically missed another test in Athens before withdrawing from the Games. Kenteris, 31, won gold in the 200m at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, where Thanou, 29, won silver in the 100m. | sport |
Holmes starts 2005 with GB events
Kelly Holmes will start 2005 with a series of races in Britain.
Holmes will make her first track appearance on home soil since winning double Olympic gold in January's Norwich Union International in Glasgow. She will also run in the Grand Prix in Birmingham in February and may defend her indoor AAA 800m title in Sheffield earlier that month. "I am still competitive and still want to win," she said. "I'm an athlete and I can't wait to get back on the track." She added: "These events are also a great opportunity to thank the British public for the enormous levels of support they have given me from the moment I stepped off that plane from Greece." The Glasgow meeting will see Holmes compete over 1500m in a five-way match against Sweden, France, Russia and Italy. | sport |
Gebrselassie in London triple bid
Double Olympic 10,000m champion Haile Gebrselassie will race in the London Marathon for the next three years.
The Ethiopian legend won Sunday's Almeria half-marathon in Spain on his return from an operation on his Achilles tendon. He was third in London in 2002 in his first serious attempt at the marathon. "It is a coup for us to secure Haile's presence for the next three years and it guarantees a quality race," said race director David Bedford. Gebrselassie will face Olympic champion Stefano Baldini, world champion Jaouad Gharib, and arch-rival Paul Tergat, the current world record holder. "If I didn't think I could win I would not be here," said Gebrselassie, who has set world records on 18 occasions in his illustrious career and is keen to add the marathon record to his collection. "There are a lot of fantastic runners in the race but I shall be doing my utmost to upset them." | sport |
Thanou bullish over drugs hearing
Katerina Thanou is confident she and fellow sprinter Kostas Kenteris will not be punished for missing drugs tests before the Athens Olympics.
The Greek pair appeared at a hearing on Saturday which will determine whether their provisional bans from athletics' ruling body the IAAF should stand. "After five months we finally had the chance to give explanations. I am confident and optimistic," said Thanou. "We presented new evidence to the committee that they were not aware of."
The athletes' lawyer Grigoris Ioanidis said he believed the independent disciplinary committee set up by the Greek Athletics Federation (SEGAS) would find them innocent. "We are almost certain that the charges will be dropped," said Ioanidis.
"We believe that we have presented [a case] that the charges are unreasonable." Thanou, the 2000 Olympic women's 100m silver medallist, and Sydney 200m champion Kenteris were suspended by the IAAF for missing three drugs tests. The third was supposed to take place on the eve of the Athens Games last August, but the pair could not be found in the athletes' village. They were later taken to hospital after claiming to have been involved in a motorcycle accident. Thanou's coach Christos Tzekos was also suspended by the IAAF. "We were asked [by the disciplinary committee] all kinds of questions about the night of 12 August," said Tzekos. "We did not leave any gaps. As far as I am concerned there is no such issue [of refusing to be tested], and I am very optimistic." Tzekos, Thanou and Kenteris, who have all denied the charges, can expect a decision within a month. "Deliberations will start after some additional documents are brought in by Thursday," said committee chairman Kostas Panagopoulos. "I estimate that the final ruling will be issued by the end of February." | sport |
Holmes is hit by hamstring injury
Kelly Holmes has been forced out of this weekend's European Indoor Athletics Championships after picking up a hamstring injury during training.
The double Olympic champion said: "I am very disappointed that I have been forced to withdraw. "I can hardly walk at the moment and I won't be able to do any running for two or three weeks although I'll be keeping fit as best I can." Holmes will have now have intensive treatment in South Africa.
The 34-year-old made a cautious start to the season but looked back to her best when she stormed to the 1,000m title at the Birmingham Grand Prix 10 days ago. After that race and more progress in training, Holmes revealed she had decided to compete at the European Indoors before her plans were wrecked last weekend. "On Saturday night I pulled my hamstring running the last bend on my final 200m of the night," said Holmes. "I was going really, really well when I felt a massive spasm in my left leg and my hamstring blew. "I saw the doctor here and he has said it is not serious but it's frustrating missing Madrid when I knew I was in great shape." Holmes has now been advised by her coach Margot Jennings not to rush back into training and it is unlikely she will compete again until the summer. Helen Clitheroe now goes to Madrid as the only British competitor in the women's 1500m while there will be no representative in the 800m. | sport |
Kluft impressed by Sotherton form
Olympic heptathlon champion Carolina Kluft was full of admiration for Britain's Kelly Sotherton as the pair prepared to clash in Birmingham.
Both will be in action on Friday in the 60m hurdles and long jump ahead of the European Indoor Championships later this month in Madrid. Sotherton finished third behind the Swede in Athens, and Kluft said: "I knew about her, she's a great girl. "She looked very good early in the season and was competing really well." Kluft showed impressive early-season form on Tuesday in Stockholm's GE Galan meeting, winning the sprint hurdles, the long jump and the 400m. Sotherton has also displayed promise, with a new high jump personal best in Sheffield at the combined Norwich Union European trials and AAA Championships, and a second place in the long jump behind Jade Johnson. | sport |
What now for Kelly Holmes?
Last April, Kelly Holmes spoke to the BBC Sport website about her loneliness, her fight to stay fit and her decision not to contest both the 800m and 1500m at the Olympics.
It just goes to show even the most meticulous and measured athletes cannot predict what fate has in store for them. Four months later, Holmes stormed to double Olympic gold and has since been made a Dame, won the BBC Sport Personality of the Year and written a book whilst still finding time to coach aspiring athletes. With so much time spent in the spotlight, Holmes has increasingly dropped hints that her ambition on the track has begun to wilt. And when asked about her plans for both the indoor and outdoor seasons ahead, the 34-year-old has repeatedly chosen to tick the "don't know" box. Holmes has now pulled out of this weekend's European Indoor Championships, where she was selected for both the 800m and 1500m, because of a hamstring injury. But should we be surprised if the Olympic champion over both those distances decides she just does not feel like racing anymore? "Well, it's a lot easier being the double Olympic champion, being feted by everybody, than training to be at the top in middle distance running," points out former Olympian and BBC pundit Steve Cram. "You have to have a real strong desire to carry on doing it even if you're very talented."
Holmes' drive and determination have always been unquestionable - that is the reason she has battled back from a string of injuries that threatened to see her finish her career empty-handed. But alarm bells start ringing when the Kent athlete begins questioning herself. "Will I have as much commitment, desire and energy to go through a major championship?" Holmes asked in the New Year. "That is what I don't know." At 34, Holmes will also be aware that time is running out. US 400m and 200m legend Michael Johnson, a five-time Olympic gold medallist, retired shortly after his 34th birthday as did Britain's double Olympic champion decathlete Daley Thompson. The physical demands of the day-to-day grind will only get harder for Holmes, who has already admitted she "doesn't like the training anymore." Whilst out on the circuit the allure of defeating a double Olympic champion will spur her opponents on. Holmes will not want to needlessly suffer the indignity of being beaten. Unless she is certain she has a strong chance of winning any race, she will not step onto the track. But if the Kent athlete finds the form that fuelled her ambitions last summer, there are more prizes up for grabs. The day after completing her double in Athens, the 34-year-old revealed she would still like to win her first indoors title.
Holmes' wish could easily be met in Madrid before she goes on to prepare for the outdoor season where there are still scores to be settled, such as a first gold at the World Championships in Helsinki. There is just one small truth which could gnaw away at Holmes' motivation - the realisation that no matter how hard she trains, nothing she wins now can surpass her achievements in Athens. On the other hand, if those achievements cannot be matched shouldn't they be at least shared and celebrated? "You don't get the chance very often in your career to step onto the track as the double Olympic champion," agreed Cram. "You want to be able to take your bow in front of the fans because it's a fantastic feeling. "I think deep down Kelly wants to run. I think she will compete and run races on the circuits but whether or not she runs in the major championships is much less certain."
Athletics fans had every reason to believe they would see the new-look Kelly Holmes tearing up the track again. After her Olympic glory she emphatically denied she planned to retire. So, why is Holmes dragging her heels about making a decision on where, when or whether to even bother competing again? "That's just Kelly," explains Cram. "She's always been like that. "She enjoys people trying to guess what she is going to do next. She knows every time she makes a pronouncement now it's headline news. "Kelly has to figure out for herself what it is she wants and that will be based on athletics decisions, whether she can be competitive, if she is fit enough to put her neck on the line. "And if she decides not to run again, no-one is going to turn round and say 'you're making the wrong decision.'" | sport |
Gardener battles to narrow win
Jason Gardener fought all the way to the line to narrowly claim the men's 60m title at the Norwich Union Indoor trials and AAAs Championships.
The world 60m champion got off to a rolling start and had to dig deep to dip ahead of Mark Findlay and Darren Chin, who both set personal bests. "It was a close race," admitted Gardener. "I stumbled out the blocks but my experience told through. "I still feel there's more life in me and I believe I can go faster." Gardener's performance in Sheffield could have been affected by the news, which he heard before his semi-final, that his European record had been broken Frenchman Ronald Pognon, who will be a real threat at the European Championships, set a new time of 6.45, one-hundreth of a second faster than Gardener's previous mark. Favourite
delivered a powerful performance to take the women's 60m title in 7.27 seconds. "You'll see me in Madrid and I feel there is a lot more to come along," said the 22-year-old. Katherine Endacott battled hard to take second and dip under the European qualifying mark. Defending champion Joice Maduaka had pulled out of the final with a chest infection.
was on record-breaking form as she stormed to the women's 60m hurdles crown. The 25-year-old set a new British record for the second time in seven days, clocking 7.96 seconds to finish ahead of rival Diane Allahgreen. "I'm so happy," a tearful Claxton told BBC Sport. "All the years I've been running and I'm getting recognition." Claxton's time was also good enough to qualify for the European Championships.
The men's 800m went to form in Sheffield as
dominated the race from start to finish. The Northern Ireland athlete went off at a startling pace but had to hold off the challenge of Welshman Jimmy Watkins over the final 200m to win in one minute, 47.96 seconds. Both McIlory and Watkins, who set a life-time best of 1:48.32, had already booked their places in Madrid and were again well within the qualifying time. "I had to go out and go through all the gears before the Europeans and I won't run again until then," said McIlroy.
could not reach the European mark in the women's race as she crossed the line to win in 2:04.45. Olympic bronze heptathlon medallist
rounded off a useful weekend with two more personal bests in Sheffield. The 28-year-old reached 1.80m in the high jump and clocked 8.47secs in the heats of the 60m hurdles. "I've surprised myself," said Sotherton. "I'm starting to thrive on the pressure but if I don't perform then it's not the end of the world." Pole vaulter
made a winning return to major competition after a drugs ban. The Trafford athlete, who has served a two-year ban after testing positive for anabolic steroids, clinched the title with a championship record 4.25m.
also set a new championship mark in the men's triple jump title in Sheffield. The 26-year-old, who has been training in Australia over the winter, landed 17.30m with his final effort - the longest leap in the world this year. "I didn't have a clue," said Idowu. "I've not jumped indoors before and I just wanted the qualifying mark. "But this isn't a bad start and hopefully I'll come back from Madrid with a gold medal." Nathan Douglas continued his steady progress this season as he set a life-time best of 16.76m in second while Jonathan Moore took third.
and
resumed their rivalry in the long jump competition, both achieving the European standard. Commonwealth champion Morgan reached a personal best of 7.96m on his very first jump and then promptly retired with a bruised heel. Olympian Tomlinson tried to play catch up with his six jumps but had to settle for a season's best jump of 7.91m. "I was advised not to jump by my doctor and so I'm pleased to come here and get the qualifying mark," said Tomlinson.
, now based at Loughborough, sprinted past front runner Catherine Murphy in the final 100m to steal the women's 400m title. The 21-year-old ran a personal best of 53.45 seconds to win her first indoor title. Wall's time was just short of the qualifying mark - something Murphy already has. Ireland's
took the men's title in 46.46 ahead of promising Channel Islands decathlete Dale Garland. Sudanese 18-year-old Rabah Yusuf, who is seeking British citizenship, showed his raw talent as he burst through in third.
cleared the required 1.90m to qualify for the European championships and claim the AAAs title in the women's high jump. In the men's 3,000m,
powered to a new personal best of seven minutes, 56.86 seconds to defend his AAAs title in style. It was the first time in 11 years the eight-minute barrier has been broken at the championships and was just within the European mark.
took the women's 1500m AAAs title in the absence of Kelly Holmes. Her time of 4:19.11 was not good enough to qualify for Madrid but Ovens had already opted out of the championships. The men's race was won by
, who had to fight off a closing pack to claim the title in 3:45.87. | sport |
European medal chances improve
What have the European Indoor trials told us? Well, I think we could be heading to the European Championships with half a dozen medal prospects.
It was good to see athletes beginning to make steps forward, to see a few new faces and there were lots of personal bests kicking around.
The best performance on the track for me was Sarah Claxton's win in the 60m hurdles. Running sub-eight seconds twice in a week puts her right up there and if she repeats that in Madrid she will be close to picking up a medal. But what was great about Sunday's performance was that she was under pressure to produce the goods when it counted. Diane Allahgreen has been our best hurdler for some time now and I think she was surprised to be beaten by Sarah. And knowing that she got the better of Diane in a head-to-head race will give Sarah confidence. In the men's race on Saturday, Allan Scott was right in there and there is definitely more to come from him. In fact, the men's 60m hurdles is so strong, I think the selectors will pick three hurdlers to go to Madrid.
Phillips Idowu lit up the field events, not only with his hair, but also with his leap of 17.30m, which puts him at the top of the world rankings. I had a chat with him before the competition and he was really looking forward to getting out there. He feels he is in great shape and has some big jumps inside him - but then Phillips always has. A lot of the athletes said the runway was not very helpful, so for Phillips to jump like that is a good performance. He is such a huge talent but just needs some consistency - and if he does that then the big jumps will get even further. Across the board I thought Kelly Sotherton had a great weekend and continued to show she is developing. She picked up three personal bests in the long jump, high jump and 60m hurdles and you can't ask for more than that. Kelly will be up against Carolina Kluft in the pentathlon at the European Championships but she has every chance of a medal on the basis of what we've seen so far.
She has a complicated training regime where different people help her with different disciplines but it seems to be working really well. It wasn't all good news in Sheffield. I thought both the 60m races were disappointing in different ways. Jason Gardener may have won but he wasn't at his best. I chatted to him afterwards and he knows it was an off-day for him. He's there to be shot at and the other lads nearly got a big scalp out there. In the women's race, Jeanette Kwayke was hoping to run against defending champion Joice Maduaka. The pair are enjoying a bit of rivalry but Joice had to pull out with a chest infection. If she had made the final I think Jeanette would have gone a bit quicker.
Janine Whitlock competed well in the pole vault on her return following a two-year drugs ban. But the most disappointing thing in the wider view is that she is our best pole vaulter by a long way and that shouldn't be the case. The event has moved on immensely since Janine has been away and if there was more domestic competition I think that would help her. A couple of other interesting topics to look out for are the citizenship issues surrounding Mark Findlay and Rabah Yusuf. Findlay is a Londoner who has chosen to represent Trinidad and Tobago but has never run for them so he could still compete for Great Britain. Yusuf, who came third in the 400m, is from the Sudan but is trying to gain British citizenship. He came to Britain as a high jumper but damaged his toe, started doing more running and found his talent. So we shall have to see what happens to both of them. | sport |
McIlroy wins 800m indoor title
James McIlroy motored to the AAA's Indoor 800m title in Sheffied on Sunday in a time of one minute, 47.97 seconds.
The Larne athlete dominated the race from start to finish although he had to hold off a late challenge from Welshman Jimmy Watkins in the final 100 metres. "I had to go out and go through all the gears before the Europeans and I won't run again until then," said McIlroy. ''I though if I got lucky I'd get close to the British record but I blew up in the end.'' McIlroy has been in superb form at the start of the season and will now start his build-up for the European Indoors at Madrid on 4-6 March. Meanwhile, Paul Brizzel and Anna Boyle reached the semi-finals of the 60m hurdles with Boyle setting a season's best of 7.48. In the women's 60m final, Ailis McSweeney broke Michelle Carroll's long-standing Irish record by clocking 7.37 which left her in third place. David Gillick showed that he is a genuine medal contender in the European Indoor Championships by claiming an impressive 400m victory. Gillick was more than half-a-second clear when taking gold in 46.45 - .02 outside his personal best set in Saturday's semi-finals.
The Irishman is now the fastest European this season. Derval O'Rourke broke her own Irish 60m hurdles record by clocking 8.06 which left her third behind new British record holder Sarah Claxton (7.96). James Nolan (3:46.04) took second in the men's 1500m behind Neil Speaight (3:45.86) but the Offaly man was outside the European Indoor standard. Colin Costello was seventh in the 1500m final in 3:48.82). Deirdre Ryan was second in the women's high jump with a clearance of 1.87m while Aoife Byrne took silver in the 800m in a personal best of 2:06.73. Lisburn's Kelly McNeice Reid (4:31.34) was seventh in the women's 1500m while Gary Murray (8:11.22) was 11th in the men's 3000m. Meanwhile, Stephen Cairns and Jill Shannon claimed the individual titles at Saturday's Northern Ireland Cross Country Championship in Coleraine. Cairns came in ahead of Paul Rowan and Allan Bogle in the men's race. Willowfield claimed their first men's team title in 72 years while Shannon helped Lagan Valley win the women's team honours. | sport |
Johnson edges out rival Sotherton
Jade Johnson edged out rival Kelly Sotherton with her last effort to claim the AAAs long jump title at the Norwich Union European Indoor trials.
Olympic heptathlon bronze medallist, Sotherton, led the event with her first leap of 6.43m - a personal best. But Johnson, who has not competed indoors for five years, leapt to a life-time best of 6.50m in her last jump, after four fouls. Both Johnson and Sotherton passed the European Championships qualifying mark. Although Sotherton's main aim in Madrid next month will be the pentathlon where she will take on Olympic heptathlon champion Carolina Kluft. Ireland's
delivered a shock in the men's 200m as he stormed to his first major title in 21.01 seconds. British favourite Chris Lambert had to settle for second place while defending champion Ireland's Paul Brizzel took third. There was some consolation for Lambert as he set a personal best of 20.94 in the first round - good enough to qualify for Europe.
Two-time AAAs champion Allyn Condon and Ian Mackie had no such luck as they were disqualified in the heats. There was plenty of hot action in the men's 60m hurdles where Scotland's
was vying for top spot with Olympian Andy Turner. Scott, 22, smashed his personal best on the way to the final, where he broke it again to win the AAAs title in 7.58 seconds. Turner finished second in 7.82 after previously setting a personal best on the 7.83 in the semi-finals, while Damien Greaves did not finish the final. The trio of athletes have reached the European qualifying mark this season though one of them is set to miss out on a call-up to the British squad.
comfortably defended her 3,000m title, clocking eight minutes, 49.87 seconds to easily surpass the European qualifying mark. The European cross country bronze medallist is ranked number one in Europe this season and will go to Madrid with high hopes. Helen Clitheroe was agonisingly close to the 9:05.00 qualifying mark as she claimed the runners-up spot in a personal best of 9:05.73. In the men's 800m heats,
qualified fastest in the 800m heats to lay down a challenge to in-form
. The Welsh runner attacked the last 200m to come through ahead of James Thie in one minute, 49.87 seconds. McIlroy, who is third in the European rankings, eased across the finish in 1:50.87 to set up a showdown in Sunday's final in Sheffield. Both Watkins and McIlroy have already achieved the European qualifying mark. Scotland's Susan Deacon stole
's thunder in the final of the women's 200m. Fraser became the fastest British woman over the distance this season when she qualified for the final in 23.68 seconds - though that time is outside the European standard. But Deacon claimed her first AAAs title over the distance, edging Fraser into second in 23.67. In the women's shot put veteran
claimed her fourth AAAs title with a throw of 15.27m. But that mark was not good enough for the 39-year-old to book her place at next month's European Indoor Championships in Madrid. Sotherton finished fifth after producing two throws of 13.77m. In the absence of injured British number one Carl Myerscough,
claimed the men's shot put title with a throw of 17.64m, which was below the qualifying mark.
Sale's Robert Mitchell climbed to a season's best of 2.20m - just 3cm short of the European standard - to claim the British indoor high jump title.
could only clear 2.16m to finish in fourth but the 27-year-old's disappointment will be tempered as he had already achieved the qualifying mark at a meeting in Slovenia on Tuesday. There was bad luck for British number one
in the pole vault as he failed to clear the bar after deciding to come in at 5.45m. The AAAs indoor title went instead to Ashley Swain, who climbed to a season's best of 5.25m And Ireland's Taniesha Scanlon set a new national record of 13.28m in the women's triple jump. | sport |
Brizzel to run AAA's in Sheffield
Ballymena sprinter Paul Brizzel will be among eight of Ireland's European Indoor hopefuls competing in this weekend's AAA's Championships.
US-based Alistair Cragg and Mark Carroll are the only Irish athletes selected so far for the Europeans who will not run in Sheffield. Brizzel will defend his 200m title in the British trials. In-form James McIlroy will hope to confirm his place in the British team for Madrid by winning the 800m title. McIlroy has been in tremendous form on the European circuit in recent weeks. He is one of the fastest 800m runners in the world this winter and already seems assured of a place in Madrid. Corkman Mark Carroll confirmed in midweek that he would join Cragg in the European Championships. Carroll is ranked number three in the world 3000m ranking at the moment with Cragg occupying top spot. Meanwhile, nine-times champion Dermot Donnelly will not be coming out of retirement to compete in the Northern Ireland Cross Country Championships in Coleraine on Saturday. An injury crisis in the Annadale Striders squad led to Donnelly being entered by coach John McLaughlin but the athlete told BBC Sport on Friday evening that he would not be running. Willowfield's Paul Rowan will go in as individual favourite but Annadale could have a tough job holding on to their team title as Andrew Dunwoody and Noel Pollock are unlikely to run. | sport |
Holmes urged to compete at Worlds
Jolanda Ceplak has urged Britain's Kelly Holmes to continue competing at the major championships.
Double Olympic gold medallist Holmes has strongly hinted she will not run in this year's Worlds and is undecided about next month's European Indoors. But World Indoor 800m record holder Ceplak said: "There is never an easy race when she is in the field. There is only excitement at what might happen. "It is good for the sport. She always fetches the best out of everyone." Ceplak has been a great rival of Holmes' during the Briton's career and the pair fell out when Holmes questioned the manner of the Slovenian's runaway 800m victory at the 2002 European Championships. But the controversy has since been forgotten, with Ceplak acting as pacemaker for Holmes' failed attempt on the British Indoor 1500m record at the Norwich Union Grand Prix in Birmingham in 2003.
Ceplak added: "I like running against her - you know the race is always going to be fast. "That is the sort of competition that I like. She is special to me. She was like my idol from the beginning of my career." Meanwhile, Ceplak will be looking to follow up last Saturday's win in Boston with a fast time and victory in Friday's Night of Athletics in Erfurt, Germany. Britain's Jason Gardener had been expected to defend his 60m title in Erfurt but instead he will save himself for a competition in Leipzig on Sunday. Gardener's decision means Scotland's 400m man Ian Mackie will carry British hopes in what looks sure to be a tough preparation for next weekend's Norwich Union European trials in Sheffield. | sport |
McIlroy continues winning streak
James McIlroy stormed to his second international victory in less than a week, claiming the men's 800m at the TEAG indoor meeting in Erfurt.
The Northern Ireland runner set a new personal best of one minute, 46.68 seconds - a time good enough to qualify for the European Indoor Championships. "I'm qualified now and that's what matters most," said the 28-year-old. McIlroy is now hoping to gain a late entry into Sunday's international indoor meeting in Leipzig. The Northern Irishman is hoping manager Ricky Simms can swing it for him to compete after he initially withdrew after contracting a cold. After three successive wins over the past fortnight, McIlroy is brimming with confidence. "I've been waiting over six years for this to happen and now I'm certain my career has turned the corner." On Friday, McIlroy delivered an impressive run despite suffering from his bad cold. The AAA indoor and outdoor champion accelerated away from the field in the final 300m, beating German Wolfram Mulle by 0.90 seconds. McIlroy set a world-leading mark for 1,000m at the Sparkassen Cup in Stuttgart last weekend. And his time in Erfurt makes him third fastest over 800m in the world this year. | sport |
Radcliffe will compete in London
Paula Radcliffe will compete in the Flora London Marathon this year after deciding her schedule for 2005.
The 31-year-old won the race in 2002 on her marathon debut, defended her title 12 months later and will now seek a third title in the 17 April race. "It doesn't get any better than this for the 25th anniversary," said race director David Bedford. "After announcing the greatest men's field ever we now have the greatest women's distance runner ever." Three years ago Radcliffe smashed the women's world record in two hours 18 minutes 15 seconds.
The Bedford star returned to London 12 months later, lowering her mixed-race world record of 2:17:18, which she set in Chicago in October 2003, by one minute 53 secs. Radcliffe's career took a setback when she failed to complete the Olympic marathon and later dropped out of the Athens 10,000m last August. But the 31-year-old bounced back to win the New York Marathon in November. Radcliffe, however, passed up the chance to go for the "Big City" marathon grand slam. With wins in Chicago, London and New York, only the Boston Marathon remains to be conquered but that takes place a day after London. "Boston is definitely a race I want to do at some point, but London is very special to me," said Radcliffe. "I don't pick races thinking about things like pressure. I pick the ones in my heart I really want to do. "I love the atmosphere, crowds and course and know it will always be a great quality race. "It is also the 25th anniversary this year which adds to the occasion." | sport |
Britain boosted by Holmes double
Athletics fans endured a year of mixed emotions in 2004 as stunning victories went hand-in-hand with disappointing defeats and more drugs scandals.
Kelly Holmes finally fulfilled her potential by storming to double gold on the track at the Olympic Games. Holmes helped erase the gloom hanging over Team GB after their biggest medal hope, Paula Radcliffe, dropped out of the marathon and then the 10,000m. Britain's men's 4x100m relay team also did their bit by taking a shock gold. Holmes had started the year in disappointing style, falling over in the final of 1500m at the World Indoor Championships where she was favourite. Her Olympic build-up was clouded by self doubt but that proved unfounded as she overhauled rival Maria Mutola to win the 800m - her first global title. Just five days later, the 34-year-old made it double gold in the 1500m. It was the first time in 84 years a Briton has achieved the Olympic middle-distance double. While Holmes left Athens as the star of Team GB, it was Radcliffe who carried expectations before the August Games.
The 30-year-old marathon world record holder went into the Athens event as favourite but an exhausted Radcliffe dropped out after 23 miles in tears. Her decision to enter the 10,000m five days later also backfired as she again pulled out with eight laps remaining.
But Radcliffe helped put her Olympic trauma behind her with a thrilling win in November's New York Marathon. The 4x100m team grabbed some last-gasp glory for the British men's Olympic squad after a poor start to the Games.
It seemed as though Athens would be the first Games where the men would fail to win a medal with Michael East the only individual track finalist in the 1500m. But Darren Campell, Jason Gardener, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis-Francis made amends in the sprint relay. The quartet held off favourites the USA to win Britain's first relay medal since 1912 in 38.07 seconds. Gardener added the Olympic relay crown to his World Indoor title over 60m and, just like Holmes, finally lived up to his promise in 2004. Kelly Sotherton completed Team GB's athletics medal haul in Athens with a surprise bronze in the heptathlon. The 28-year-old won her first championship medal since becoming a full-time athlete in 2003.
But it was a different story for Britain's defending champion Denise Lewis, who withdrew on day two of the competition after some poor results. Lewis, who was troubled by injury, has ruled out retiring while Sotherton is tipped to build on her success. The Athens Olympics proved to be a landmark occasion for Steve Backley, who retired from competition after finishing fourth in the javelin. The battling 35-year-old leaves the sport with a vast medal haul including two silvers and one Olympic bronze.
And Backley's departure was balanced by the return of injury-hit decathlete Dean Macey, who came fourth in Athens.
The continued improvement of sprinter Abi Oyepitan and long jumper Chris Tomlinson also boosted Team GB. Sadly, the 2004 Olympics did not escape the problems of drugs misuse. On the eve of the Games, Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou missed a drugs test and claimed to have been involved in a road crash.
Kenteris, the 200m champion in 2000, and Thanou have since been charged by the Greek authorities and await trial. At the Games, Adrian Annus (hammer), Robert Fazelas (discus) and Irina Korzhanenko (shot) were all stripped of their titles because of doping issues. Hungarian compatriots Annus and Fazelas both refused to give urine samples while Russian Korzhanenko tested positive for the steroid stanozolol.
The fallout from the THG scandal, which rocked the sport in 2003, continued to impact in Olympic year. Britain's 4x100m team took gold without the services of Dwain Chambers, who was handed a two-year ban in February after testing positive for steroid THG.
American Kelli White was suspended and stripped of her world 100m and 200m titles after failing a drugs test. And world 400m champion Jerome Young landed a life ban from US chiefs after a second doping offence. Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva provided some light relief by smashing the world record seven times on her way to the World Indoor and Olympic titles. Her rivalry with compatriot Svetlana Feofanova livened up the field events. Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj also delighted fans by racing to a historic Olympic double in the 1500m and 5,000m.
And though there was no Paula Radcliffe in the London Marathon, there was plenty of drama as Kenyans Evans Rutto and Margaret Okayo took the titles. Rutto held on to win despite slipping on some cobblestones and tumbling into a barrier. Okayo also had to battle back after mistiming her tactics but clinched victory on her debut. | sport |
Lewis-Francis eyeing world gold
Mark Lewis-Francis says his Olympic success has made him determined to bag World Championship 100m gold in 2005.
The 22-year-old pipped Maurice Greene on the last leg of the 4x100m relay in Athens to take top honours for Team GB. But individually, the Birchfield Harrier has yet to build on his World Junior Championship win four years ago. "The gold medal in Athens has made me realise that I can get to the top level and I want to get there again. It can happen, I don't see why not," he said. Lewis-Francis has still to decided what events will feature in his build-up to the worlds - with one exception. He has confirmed his participation in the Norwich Union Grand Prix in Birmingham on 18 February, where he will take on another member of Britain's victorious men's relay team - Jason Gardener - over 60m. He added: "It's a bit too early to make any predictions for Helsinki, but I have my eyes open and I know I can be the best in the world." | sport |
GB select Holmes for double bid
Kelly Holmes has been chosen for both the 800m and 1500m at next month's European Indoor Championships - despite not yet confirming her availability.
The double-Olympic champion is still undecided about whether to compete in her first European Indoors in Madrid. But UK Athletics chief Max Jones believes it is likely Holmes will race. He said: "It's worth a punt, isn't it? She's gone back to training. If she's confident she will pick one (distance). The programme does not permit both." If Holmes does take her place in the GB side, she has already indicated that 1500m will be her favoured distance. Under championship rules, she does not have to decide until 24 hours before the event begins in Madrid on 4 March. Jones added: "She was pleased with her run in Birmingham (at last weekend's Grand Prix). "I am inclined to think she will (compete). It could depend on how training goes and she will have to be close to top form." And he admitted Holmes' presence would be a great boost to the rest of the Norwich Union GB team. "She is a very good team member and is very good to have there," he added. Meanwhile, there is no surprises in the rest of the Great Britain team announced on Tuesday.
Defending 60m champion Jason Gardener is included and will be chasing his third successive gold medal. He will be joined in the event by Mark Lewis-Francis - runner-up behind him three years ago in Vienna - and new boy Darren Chin. Kelly Sotherton has been invited by championship organisers to compete against Carolina Kluft in the pentathlon. Sotherton finished third in the Olympic heptathlon in Athens, where the Swede took gold. There are 16 newcomers at this level of competition in GB's 46-strong team. The championships will be the last to be attended by Jones before he retires to be succeeded by Dave Collins. Jones said: "The Olympic Games is the overwhelming target for UKA and therefore it is beneficial to start the next four-year cycle with a not-so-pressurised major games. "The European Indoor Championships always provide a chance for the young and inexperienced to make a name for themselves and the current indoor season has produced some exciting new talent. "Madrid is the first small step on a long journey to Beijing and the 2008 Olympics but for some of the emerging athletes, this will be a very important step."
60m: D Chin (Belgrave Harriers), J Gardener (Wessex and Bath), M Lewis-Francis (Birchfield Harriers).
T Abeyie (Woodford Green with Essex Ladies), C Lambert (Belgrave Harriers).
D Garland (Channel Islands AC).
J McIlroy (Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow AC), Jimmy Watkins (Cardiff AAC).
Ed Jackson (Aldershot, Farnham and District), N Speaight (Belgrave Harriers), J Thie (Cardiff AAC).
A Baddeley (Harrow AC), M Farah (Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow AC), J Mayock (Barnsley AC).
D Greaves (Newham and Essex Beagles), A Scott (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers), A Turner (Notts AC).
B Challenger (Belgrave Harriers). Pole vault: N Buckfield (Crawley AC).
N Morgan (Birchfield Harriers), C Tomlinson (Newham and Essex Beagles).
L Achike (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers), N Douglas (Oxford City AC), P Idowu (Belgrave Harriers).
D Cossins (Birchfield Harriers), R Davenport (Gloucester AC), D Garland (Channel Islands AC), R Preddy (Gloucester AC), G Warburton (Cardiff AAC).
K Endacott (City of Plymouth AC), J Kwakye (Woodford Green with Essex Ladies), J Maduaka (Woodford Green with Essex Ladies).
K Wall (Basildon AC).
K Holmes (Ealing, Southall and Middlesex AC).
H Clitheroe (Preston Harriers), K Holmes (Ealing, Southall and Middlesex AC).
J Pavey (Exeter Harriers).
D Allahgreen (Trafford AC), S Claxton (Belgrave Harriers).
J Crane (Sale Harriers Manchester), S Jones (Trafford AC).
J Whitlock (Trafford AC).
J Johnson (Herne Hill Harriers).
K Sotherton (Birchfield Harriers).
D Fraser (Croydon Harriers), L McConnell (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers), C Murphy (Woodford Green with Essex Ladies), M Purkiss (Southampton AC). | sport |
Holmes back on form in Birmingham
Double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes was back to her best as she comfortably won the 1,000m at the Norwich Union Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix.
The 34-year-old, running only her second competitive race of the season, shook off the rust to win in two minutes, 35.39 seconds. But she is still undecided about competing in the European Championships in Madrid from 4-6 March. "I'll probably be entered and make my mind up at the last minute," she said. "My training hasn't gone as well as expected but I've got two weeks to decide. "I need to take my time and make sure I feel good about what I'm doing. "I felt very good here but with the crowd behind you, you feel like you can do anything." American
was the eventual winner of the men's 60m race which almost ended in farce. Three athletes were disqualified for false starting, including Britain's Mark Lewis-Francis, who was the first man guilty of coming out of his blocks too quickly. World 100m champion Kim Collins clinched second spot ahead of world 60m record holder and Scott's training partner Maurice Greene. Jason Gardener's unbeaten run came to an end as he came fifth and he will need to improve if he is to defend his European title in Madrid. "You can't win them all," said Gardener afterwards. "And I was very disappointed as I know I'm capable of doing better." Russian
was back on record-breaking form in the pole vault at the National Indoor Arena.
The Olympic champion set a new world mark of 4.88m to break her own record - which she set just six days ago - and beat Russian rival Svetlana Feofanova. It was Isinbayeva's 11th world record - indoors or out - since July 2003. "I'm so happy and I will do my best to break the 5m barrier soon," the 22-year-old told BBC Sport. Jamaica's
stormed to a personal best of 7.13 seconds to claim the women's 60m sprint. Belgian Kim Gevaert, who will be one of the favourites for next month's European title, took second while American Muna Lee was third. There was disappointment for British pair Jeanette Kwakye and Joice Maduaka who finished seventh and eighth respectively.
Jamaican
stretched her unbeaten record to 25 races as she effortlessly claimed the 200m. The Olympic champion set a new indoor personal best of 22.38 seconds - the fastest time in the world this season.
fought off fellow Briton Tim Abeyie to take the men's 200m in a personal best of 20.88.
continued her outstanding start to the season, beating a strong international field, which included two-time Olympic 100m hurdles bronze medallist Melissa Morrison, to claim the women's 60m hurdles. The 25-year-old Briton clocked 7.98 seconds while pre-European Championships favourite Russian Irina Shevchenko finished down in sixth. Ethiopia's
failed in her bid to smash compatriot Berhane Adere's world 3,000m record but still won the event in emphatic style. The Olympic 5,000m champion was inside record pace but dropped off over the final third, finishing in eight minutes, 33.05 seconds - the fourth fastest time ever recorded for the event. Britain's Jo Pavey bravely decided to go with Defar as she strode away from the field and took second in a season's best 8:41.43. Kenyan
also missed out on the indoor 1500m world record, which Hicham El Guerrouj has held for the last eight years.
Lagat settled for silver behind El Guerrouj in Athens and was almost four seconds short of the Moroccan's world best, clocking 3:35.27 in Birmingham. And
was still struggling to find his form after the death of his fiancee this year. The Olympic 10,000m champion had comfortably led the men's two mile race after his younger brother Tariku had set the pace. But fellow Ethiopian
appeared ominously on Bekele's shoulder with two laps to go before surging past him at the bell to win in 8:14.28. Jamaican
made the most of a blistering start to take the men's 400m title in 45.91 seconds. World indoor champion, Alleyne Francique, faded badly and finished in fourth while American duo Jerry Harris and James Davis took second and third respectively. Swede
showed her class in the long jump as she stole top spot from Jade Johnson with the very last jump of the competition. The Olympic heptathlon gold medallist reached 6.66m to better Johnson's mark of 6.52m - her second personal best inside a week. "I was quite surprised because I didn't think I'd end up with second place," said Johnson, who wore London's 2012 Olympic bid slogan, "Back the Bid", on her shorts. "But I'm pleased and hopefully I'll get a bit better for the Europeans. I really want to win a medal."
won the men's event with a season's best of 7.95m, taking the scalp of world indoor champion Savante Stringfellow of the USA. | sport |
Record fails to lift lacklustre meet
Yelena Isinbayeva may have produced another world pole vault record, but her achievement could not hide the fact it was not the best meet we have ever seen in Birmingham.
And hey, there are not many meets that go by without the Russian breaking a world record.
Apparently, Isinbayeva has cleared five metres in training and I would just love her to put us out of our misery and have a go at it rather than extending the indoor record by one centimetre at a time. Athletics to me is all about pushing the barriers and being the best you can, and I would like to see her have a go at 5m in competition. Mind you, every time she breaks the record she gets $30,000 so she can afford to be deliberate about it. World records aside, I thought it was a very encouraging evening's work for Kelly Holmes. She looked good and was very positive. Agnes Samaria, who came second, is in very good shape and is in the world's top three 800m runners this season. Yes, Samaria let Kelly get away, but there was no coming back over the last 200m as Kelly dominated the race, so beating Samaria is a bit of a benchmark for Kelly. My gut feeling is that Kelly would like to run in the European Indoor Championships, but she just hasn't convinced herself she is fit enough to do so. On the other hand, I think Jason Gardener is struggling to come near what is going to be required to win the men's 60m in Madrid. He started well in the final but still could not stay with the front-runners. Jason has a lot of experience indoors but for some reason he is struggling to maintain his pace through to the finish.
It would have been nice to see what Mark Lewis-Francis could have done in the final, if only he hadn't got himself disqualified. He was blatantly playing the false-start game to his advantage, but it tripped him up and made him look a bit silly. My view is you're meant to go when the gun goes and not before. And if you try to unsettle your rivals by employing the false-start tactic you have to remember not to false start yourself again. Having said that, Mark is looking in much better shape. But I haven't seen anything from Mark or Jason yet which suggests France's Ronald Pognon - who has run 6.45 seconds - will be under threat at the Europeans. From a British point of view, Sarah Claxton's victory in the 60m hurdles was the best thing to come out of the meet.
Something else that probably went unnoticed was Melanie Purkiss winning the women's national 400m race in a new personal best of 52.98 seconds. AAAs champion Kim Wall came second in another lifetime best so we have a very strong 4x400m squad going to the European Championships. Scotland's Lee McConnell is probably going to run too, so we have a real prospect of a medal. From an international perspective, I thought Meseret Defar was disappointing in the 3,000m, but I don't think the pace-making was great. Canadian Heather Hennigar set a fast early pace but could not maintain it and if Jo Pavey had been in last year's shape she would have given Defar a real run for her money. She had a go but just could not hang in there. We were also expecting a bit more from Bernard Lagat in the men's 1500m. But he has only just come over from the USA, so he may not be that sharp and I still think he is in great shape. As for Kenenisa Bekele, he was well beaten by Markos Geneti. But we only had half expectations for Bekele as he has been struggling this season. It was very hot in the National Indoor Arena and I felt uncomfortable in the commentary box. I think those conditions affected the distance runners and in fact Defar complained to her coach after the race that she could not get her breath properly. | sport |
Tomlinson stays focused on Europe
Long jumper Chris Tomlinson has cut his schedule to ensure he is fully fit for the European Indoor Championships.
The 23-year-old has a minor injury and has pulled out of international meets in Madrid and Lievin this week as well as warm-weather training in Lanzarote. "It's nothing serious," said his coach Peter Stanley. "He strained a muscle in his abdomen at the Birmingham meeting but is back in full training." Sprinter Mark Lewis-Francis will also not compete in Madrid on Thursday. The Birmingham athlete, who clocked a season's best of 6.61 seconds over 60m in Birmingham last week, also prefers to focus his attentions on next month's European Indoor Championships.
Lewis-Francis, who was runner-up to British team-mate Jason Gardener at the Europeans three years ago, will continue his training at home. Meanwhile, Tomlinson is still searching for this first major medal and this season he has shown he could be in the sort of form to grab a spot on the podium in Madrid. The Middlesbrough athlete jumped a season's best of 7.95m at the Birmingham Grand Prix - good enough to push world indoor champion Savante Stringfellow into second. | sport |
Running around the Olympics
It was back to official duties last week in my role as an ambassador to London's 2012 Olympic bid. But I still managed to do all my marathon training.
All the sporting people on the capital's bid team think I'm mad to be taking part in the London Marathon. The bid chairman, Lord Coe, admitted he would never dream of running a marathon, even though he was an Olympic middle-distance runner.
Kelly Holmes, former hurdler Alan Pascoe and former sprinter Frankie Fredericks - who is now an IOC member - all wanted to know why anyone would want to run that far. You'd have thought all these athletes, who have been running for most of their lives, wouldn't think it would be that bad. But the only person who was positive about my intentions was Tanni Grey Thompson, who has won the London Marathon wheelchair race six times. Even though it was a very busy week entertaining the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Evaluation Commission, I actually found my running schedule easier to follow. When I'm at home, I get distracted by all sorts of things but for the five days I was in London, I was in a pressurised situation, but I found it easy to relax by running.
On Wednesday, the presentations to the IOC team did not finish until the early evening, so I just managed to squeeze in a 45-minute run. We had an early start on Thursday because we had to visit all the Olympic sites around London, that was pretty shattering, but when we got back to the hotel, I got back on the treadmill. On Friday evening I went along to the special dinner at Buckingham Palace which was a nice occasion. I never feel guilty about eating, especially when I'm exercising. And because it was a rest day I didn't have to feel bad about missing my training either. Anyway, I managed to do another quick run on Saturday ahead of the final IOC presentations, before heading home for my daughter's birthday.
When I was in London I did all of my runs on the treadmill, which isn't the same as exercising outdoors. One of the IOC's technical staff from Australia ran alongside me one day. We talked about the Sydney Olympics and that made the time go past more quickly. I do find it quite comfortable running in the gym because there is more cushioning. But when you're gearing up to running on the road you need your body to get used to that jarring feeling when your feet hit the pavement. It was good to get out on the road for my long run on Sunday. After the week I'd had I was a bit concerned I wouldn't be able to complete it. But I coped with it very well and, even though it was bitterly cold, I put in 15-and-a-half miles - only another 11 to go then.
- This year Steve will donate all the proceeds from his London Marathon efforts to victims of the tsunami.Steve will be writing a regular column on the ups and downs of his marathon training for the BBC Sport website.He will be raising money through the Steve Redgrave Trust which supports the Association of Children's Hospices, the Children With Leukaemia charity, and the Trust's own project which aims to provide inner-city schools with rowing equipment. | sport |
Johnson uncertain about Euro bid
Jade Johnson is undecided about whether to contest next month's European Indoor Championships in Madrid despite winning the AAAs long jump title on Saturday.
The 24-year-old delivered a personal best of 6.50m to win the European trials but had to wait until her final jump after four failures. "I don't want to go if I am not going to get a medal," said Johnson. "I will have to see how I am jumping in the next competition and I'll have to have a conversation with my coach." Johnson, who finished seventh in last year's Olympic Games, has not competed indoors since 2000. And the Commonwealth and European silver medallist believes her lack of experience in the early part of the season has knocked her confidence. "It's the stress," said Johnson. "I am not used to feeling this, this early. I am just used to training. "But if I'm doing this kind of thing, then I will have to see how it goes." Johnson next competes in the high-class Birmingham Grand Prix on 18 February. | sport |
Pavey focuses on indoor success
Jo Pavey will miss January's View From Great Edinburgh International Cross Country to focus on preparing for the European Indoor Championships in March.
The 31-year-old was third behind Hayley Yelling and Justyna Bak in last week's European Cross Country Championships but she prefers to race on the track. "It was great winning bronze but I'm wary of injuries and must concentrate on the indoor season," she said. "Because of previous injuries I don't even run up hills in training." Pavey, who came fifth in the 5,000m at the Athens Olympics, helped the British cross country team win the team silver medal in Heringsdorf last week. She is likely to start her 3,000m season with a race in either Boston or Stuttgart at the end of January. | sport |
Gardener wins double in Glasgow
Britain's Jason Gardener enjoyed a double 60m success in Glasgow in his first competitive outing since he won 100m relay gold at the Athens Olympics.
Gardener cruised home ahead of Scot Nick Smith to win the invitational race at the Norwich Union International. He then recovered from a poor start in the second race to beat Swede Daniel Persson and Italy's Luca Verdecchia. His times of 6.61 and 6.62 seconds were well short of American Maurice Greene's 60m world record of 6.39secs from 1998. "It's a very hard record to break, but I believe I've trained very well," said the world indoor champion, who hopes to get closer to the mark this season. "It was important to come out and make sure I got maximum points. My last race was the Olympic final and there was a lot of expectation. "This was just what I needed to sharpen up and get some race fitness. I'm very excited about the next couple of months."
Double Olympic champion
marked her first appearance on home soil since winning 1500m and 800m gold in Athens with a victory. There was a third success for Britain when
edged out Russia's Olga Fedorova and Sweden's Jenny Kallur to win the women's 60m race in 7.23secs. Maduaka was unable to repeat the feat in the 200m, finishing down in fourth as
took the win for Russia. And the 31-year-old also missed out on a podium place in the 4x200m relay as the British quartet came in fourth, with Russia setting a new world indoor record. There was a setback for Jade Johnson as she suffered a recurrence of her back injury in the long jump. Russia won the meeting with a final total of 63 points, with Britain second on 48 and France one point behind in third.
led the way for Russia by producing a major shock in the high jump as he beat Olympic champion Stefan Holm into second place to end the Swede's 22-event unbeaten record.
won the triple jump with a leap of 16.87m, with Britain's Tosin Oke fourth in 15.80m.
won the men's pole vault competition with a clearance of 5.65m, with Britain's Nick Buckfield 51cm adrift of his personal best in third. And
won the women's 800m, with Britain's Jenny Meadows third. There was yet another Russian victory in the women's 400m as
finished well clear of Britain's Catherine Murphy. Chris Lambert had to settle for fourth after fading in the closing stages of the men's 200m race as Sweden's
held off Leslie Djhone of France. France's
won the men's 400m, with Brett Rund fourth for Britain.
took victory for Sweden in the women's 60m hurdles ahead of Russia's Irina Shevchenko and Britain's Sarah Claxton, who set a new personal best. Italy grabbed their first victory in the men's 1500m as
kicked over the last 200 metres to hold off Britain's James Thie and France's Alexis Abraham. A botched changeover in the 4x200m relay cost Britain's men the chance to add further points as France claimed victory. | sport |
African double in Edinburgh
World 5000m champion Eliud Kipchoge won the 9.2km race at the View From Great Edinburgh Cross Country.
The Kenyan, who was second when Newcastle hosted the race last year, was in front from the outset. Ethiopian duo Gebre Gebremariam and Dejene Berhanu made last-gasp efforts to overtake him, but Kipchoge responded and a burst of speed clinched victory. Gavin Thompson was the first Briton in 12th place while Nick McCormick held of his British rivals to win the 4km race. The Morpeth Harrier led from the end of the first lap and ended Mike Skinner and Andrew Baddeley's hopes with a surge in the lasp lap. "My training has gone so well I wasn't really worried about the opposition asI knew I was in great shape," said McCormick, who now hopes to earn a 1,500m place in the British team for the World Championships in Helsinki. In the women's race, Ethiopia's Tirunesh Dibaba won a battle with world cross country champion Benita Johnson to retain her title. Australian Johnson, who shocked her African rivals in Brussels last March, looked to be on course for another win in the 6.2km race. But world 5000m champion Dibaba make a telling strike for the finishing line in the final 20 metres. Britons Kathy Butler and Hayley Yelling were out of contention early on. | sport |
Yelling takes Cardiff hat-trick
European cross-country champion Hayley Yelling completed a hat-trick of wins in the Reebok Cardiff Cross Challenge in Bute Park on Sunday afternoon.
The part-time maths teacher beat Irish international Jolene Byrne by 40 metres in the six-kilometre race. Another Great Britain international, Louise Damen, finished third as part of the contingent representing England. Peter Riley, who secured bronze for the GB men's team at last month's European Championships, won the men's 9km race. Riley, representing England, moved away over the last two kilometres to win by 25 metres from Ireland's Gary Murray. Glynn Tromans - the reigning UK Inter-Countries and England Cross-Country champion - came in third place as he continues his comeback from a five-month injury lay-off. | sport |
Butler strikes gold in Spain
Britain's Kathy Butler continued her impressive year with victory in Sunday's 25th Cross Internacional de Venta de Banos in Spain.
The Scot, who led GB to World Cross Country bronze earlier this year, moved away from the field with Ines Monteiro halfway into the 6.6km race. She then shrugged off her Portuguese rival to win in 20 minutes 38 seconds. Meanwhile, Briton Karl Keska battled bravely to finish seventh in the men's 10.6km race in a time of 31:41. Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia - the reigning world long and short course champion - was never troubled by any of the opposition, winning leisurely in 30.26. Butler said of her success: "I felt great throughout the race and hope this is a good beginning for a marvellous 2005 season for me." Elsewhere, Abebe Dinkessa of Ethiopia won the Brussels IAAF cross-country race on Sunday, completing the 10,500m course in 33.22. Gelete Burka then crowned a great day for Ethiopia by claiming victory in the women's race. | sport |
Wada will appeal against ruling
The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) will appeal against the acquittal of Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou on doping charges, if the IAAF does not.
The pair were cleared of charges relating to missing dope tests by the Greek Athletics Federation last week. Wada chairman Dick Pound said: "I am convinced the IAAF will appeal against the decision, and we will support them. "But if they accept the federation's ruling we will go before the Court of Arbitration for Sport," he added. Kenteris's lawyer, Gregory Ioannidis, reacted angrily to Pound's comments. "Comments like these only help to embarrass the sporting governing bodies, create a hostage situation for the IAAF and strengthen our case further," he told BBC Sport. Kenteris, 31, and Thanou, 30, had been charged with avoiding drugs tests in Tel Aviv, Chicago and Athens and failing to notify anti-doping officials of their whereabouts before the Olympics. They withdrew from the Athens Games after missing a drugs test at the Olympic village on 12 August.
But an independent tribunal ruled that the duo had not been informed that they needed to attend a drugs test in Athens.
However, their former coach Christos Tzekos was banned for four years by the tribunal. Kenteris and Thanou still have to face trial on charges brought separately by Greek prosecutors of missing the drugs tests and faking a motorcycle accident to avoid testing at the Athens Games. | sport |
Greek sprinters 'won't run again'
The careers of sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou are over, says the boss of the organisation that cleared them of missing a drugs test.
Greek Athletics Federation boss Vassilli Sevastis told the country's parliament: "I believe Kenteris and Thanou won't race again. "The damage to their commercial interests has been done," he added. Athletics bosses are considering its reponse to the ruling, while the athletes face a trial in a Greek court. Greek prosecutors have brought spearate charges of missing the drugs test and faking a motorcycle accident. Speaking to the Greek Parliament on Tuesday, Sevastis said that the evidence sent by the International Olympic Committee and athletics governing body the IAAF was not strong enough for the Greek Association to find the sprinters guilty.
"We were given the task of getting the snake out if its hole but we were not given any evidence to do it with," he said. "So how can you as a Greek with your hand on your heart try the athletes?" he added. The athletes are technically free to compete while the IAAF reviews its response to the decision to clear Kenteris and Thanou. But Sevastis said: "It does not matter if they are found guilty at the Court of Arbitration for Sport and the current decision is reversed." | sport |
IAAF will contest Greek decision
The International Association of Athletics Federations will appeal against the acquittal of Greek athletes Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou.
The high-profile duo were cleared of doping offences by the Greek Athletics Federation (Segas) last month. Now the IAAF will lodge an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and has suspended both athletes. An IAAF statement said: "The Doping Review Board concluded that the decision is erroneous." The statement continued: "Both athletes' cases will be refered to arbitration before the CAS. The decision in both cases will be final and binding."
Segas said the IAAF appeal was "expected" and "understandable." "Now we are going to await the final result, which we cannot prejudge," said Segas chairman Vassilis Sevastis. Kenteris, who won Olympic 200m gold at the 2000 Olympics, and Thanou were suspended by the IAAF last December after failing to take routine drugs tests before the Athens Games. However, the independent tribunal overturned those bans, clearing the sprinters of avoiding tests in Tel Aviv, Chicago and Athens and failing to notify anti-doping officials of their whereabouts before the Olympics.
Kenteris' lawyer Gregory Ioannidis described the IAAF's decision as "not unexpected" but told BBC Sport he did not expect the organisation to take action so quickly. "The IAAF's timing is extremely surprising and it creates concerns and questions," said Ioannidis. "The IAAF has not yet received the complete file of proceedings which include statements, testimonies, the closing speeches of defence counsel... and nine audio tapes.
"We have the evidence and it is time the world discovered the truth." Kenteris and Thanou dramatically withdrew from last summer's Olympics after missing a drugs test at the Olympic Village on 12 August. The pair then spent four days in a hospital, claiming they had been injured in a motorcycle crash. It was the International Olympic Committee who demanded the IAAF investigate the affair. Thanou and Kenteris still face a criminal trial later this year for allegedly avoiding the test and then faking a motorcycle accident | sport |
Greek duo cleared in doping case
Sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou have been cleared of doping offences by an independent tribunal.
The duo had been provisionally suspended by the IAAF for allegedly missing three drugs tests, including one on the eve of the Athens Olympics. But the Greek Athletics Federation tribunal has overturned the bans - a decision which the IAAF can now contest at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The pair's former coach, Christos Tzekos, has been banned for four years. Kenteris, 31, and Thanou, 30, had been charged with avoiding drug tests in Tel Aviv, Chicago and Athens and failing to notify anti-doping officials of their whereabouts before the Olympics. They withdrew from the Olympics after missing a drugs test at the Olympic Village on 12 August.
The pair then spent four days in a hospital, claiming they had been injured in a motorcycle crash. It was the International Olympic Committee's demand that the IAAF investigate the affair that led to the hearing of the Greek tribunal. The head of that tribunal, Kostas Panagopoulos, said it had not been proven that the athletes refused to take the test in Athens. "The charge cannot be substantiated," he said. "In no way was he (Kenteris) informed to appear for a doping test. The same goes for Thanou." Kenteris's lawyer, Gregory Ioannidis, said: "The decision means Mr Kenteris has been exonerated of highly damaging and unfounded charges which have been extremely harmful for his career.
"He has consistently maintained his innocence and this was substantiated by further evidence we were able to submit to the tribunal following its deliberations in January. "This evidence shows Mr Kenteris was never asked to submit to a test by the International Olympic Committee so he could not possibly have been guilty of deliberately avoiding one. It shows he has no case to answer. "Mr Kenteris should now be given the opportunity he deserves to rebuild his career in the full knowledge that there is no stain on his character. "He has suffered greatly throughout this ordeal that has exposed both himself and his family to enormous pressures." But the IAAF said it was "very surprised" by the verdict. Spokesman Nick Davies said: "We note the decision of the Greek authorities with interest. "Our doping review board will now consider the English version of the decision." | sport |
Johnson too strong for GB runners
Britain's Kathy Butler and Hayley Yelling were no match for Benita Johnson in the 51st Cross International Zornotza in Amorebieta, Spain.
Butler and Yelling finished fourth and fifth as Australian world champion Johnson romped to a five-second victory in the 6km race ahead of Edith Masai. Masai's fellow Kenyan Alice Timbilil finished third. Johnson said: "I ran comfortably for the first 3km and then I tried to leave the others but it wasn't an easy task." Butler clocked a time of 22 minutes 45 seconds - 22secs behind the winner but four ahead of Yelling, who last month succeeded Paula Radcliffe as European champion. Johnson, will be one of the star attractions at the Great EdinburghInternational Cross Country on 15 January. | sport |
Holmes starts 2005 with GB events
Kelly Holmes will start 2005 with a series of races in Britain.
Holmes will make her first track appearance on home soil since winning double Olympic gold in January's Norwich Union International in Glasgow. She will also run in the Grand Prix in Birmingham in February and may defend her indoor AAA 800m title in Sheffield earlier that month. "I am still competitive and still want to win," she said. "I'm an athlete and I can't wait to get back on the track." She added: "These events are also a great opportunity to thank the British public for the enormous levels of support they have given me from the moment I stepped off that plane from Greece." The Glasgow meeting will see Holmes compete over 1500m in a five-way match against Sweden, France, Russia and Italy. | sport |
Tulu to appear at Caledonian run
Two-time Olympic 10,000 metres champion Derartu Tulu has confirmed she will take part in the BUPA Great Caledonian Run in Edinburgh on 8 May.
The 32-year-old Ethiopian is the first star name to enter the event. Tulu has won the Boston, London and Tokyo Marathons, as well as the world 10,000m title in 2001. "We are delighted to have secured the services of one the most decorated competitors the sport has ever seen," said race director Matthew Turnbull. "Her record speaks for herself and there are few other women distance runners who would dare compare their pedigree with Tulu's," he added. "She might be 33 next month, but that didn't stop her winning the Olympic 10,000m bronze medal last summer. She's an ultra-consistent championships racer." | sport |
Disappointed Scott in solid start
Allan Scott is confident of winning a medal at next week's European Indoor Championships after a solid debut on the international circuit.
The 22-year-old Scot finished fourth in the 60m hurdles at the Jose M Cagigal Memorial meeting in Madrid. "It was definitely a learning curve and I certainly haven't ruled out challenging for a medal next week," said the East Kilbride athlete. The race was won by Felipe Vivancos, who equalled the Spanish record.
Sweden's Robert Kronberg was second, with Haiti's Dudley Dorival in third. Scott was slightly disappointed with his run in the final. He won his heat in 7.64secs but ran 0.04secs slower in his first IAAF Indoor Grand Prix circuit final. "I should have done better than that," he said. "I felt I could have won it. I got a poor start - but I still felt I should have ran faster." Vivancos slashed his personal best to equal the Spanish record with a time of 7.60secs while Kronberg and Dorival clocked 7.62secs and 7.63secs respectively. | sport |
GB quartet get cross country call
Four British athletes have been pre-selected to compete at the World Cross Country Championships in March after impressive starts to the season.
Hayley Yelling, Jo Pavey, Karl Keska and Adam Hickey will represent Team GB at the event in France. Yelling clinched the women's European cross country title last month and Pavey followed up with bronze. Keska helped the men's team to overall third place while Hickey finished in 10th place on his junior debut. "Winning the European cross country title meant so much to me," said Yelling. "And being pre-selected for the Worlds means that I can focus on preparing in the best way possible." The 32-year-old will race alongside Olympic 5,000m finalist Pavey in the women's 8km race on 19 March. Keska, who has made a successful return from a long-term injury lay-off, contests the men's 12km race on 20 March, while 16-year-old Hickey goes in the junior men's 8km on the same day. The rest of the team will be named after the trials at Wollaton Park in Nottingham, which take place on 5 March. | sport |