BRITISH and world athletics authorities have lost the place over

management of information on doping infringements -- a view confirmed

yesterday by the mishandling of details of three further British

offenders, previously indicated to be club athletes, but one of whom has

proved to be four-times Scottish hammer champion Lawrie Nisbet.

Identities are not supposed to be revealed until two samples of urine

are analysed and the results confirmed as identical.

But three recent high-profile incidents, involving internationalists

Solomon Wariso, Paul Edwards, and Diane Modahl, emerged before B-sample

analysis, as did Nisbet.

Modahl is consulting her solicitors, and the International Amateur

Athletic Federation now fear protracted litigation similar to that which

resulted in a $27.5m damages verdict against the world body in the US

courts.

But the IAAF themselves have chosen a bizarre method of publicising

offenders. After the Herald revealed that there were some 20 cases in

the pipeline worldwide, this was denied by the world body.

Yet they have now carried a bulletin in their own magazine, listing 29

offenders caught since February, in a manner clearly designed as a

damage-limitation exercise to minimise the impact of the scandal.

Some of the names -- 21 different nationalities -- were known, but

many were not. Included among them are Nigerian Chidi Imoh, the former

double World Student Games 100m champion, double African Games champion,

and grand-prix final winner in 1986 (banned for four years), and China's

Hu Gangjun, a medallist in this year's Rotterdam marathon, who received

a three-month suspension.

Edinburgh Southern Harrier Nisbet, a 33-year-old architect, faces a

three-month ban after having taken two Sudafed tablets to clear a sinus

infection in July. He competed two days later, winning the Scottish

Highland Games title at Lochaber.

''I knew testing would be in operation, but never even thought about

it,'' said Nisbet yesterday.

''I'm certainly no cheat. And so far, I haven't even been informed of

the result of the B test, which I have authorised should be done.''

The tablets he took, available without prescription from any chemist,

contain pseudoephedrine, a banned substance, but in such minute

quantities that it is unlikely that any performance-enhancing effect

would be obtained.

Nisbet says he knows of at least one professional heavy-events athlete

tested in similar circumstances this year who has received a warning

letter, but no suspension. ''This illustrates that the rules are not

being applied evenly,'' he said.

The identity of one of the other amateur offenders is Marcus Browning,

a club javelin thrower with Team Solent, plus an as yet unknown

Irishman.

Browning, who tested positive for a stimulant at the Gold Cup

semi-final in Corby on July 31, has waived the right to a second

analysis, has resigned from the club, and, faced with a four-year

suspension, says he is giving up the sport.