Graham Paul, a former chairman of British Fencing and a past Olympic competitor, said yesterday he was "astounded" at the fashion in which Scotland's Keith Cook had been excluded from the proper selection process for the 2012 London Olympics,
Cook, the former British champion and five-time Commonwealth medallist, has launched an appeal against his non-selection and Paul has criticised the manner in which the sport's governing body have handled the issue.
"I was involved in the drafting of the Olympic selection scheme and, from the outset, we wanted to have a system which allowed fencers to ensure that the selectors were making decisions based on all the relevant information," said Paul. "This was the reason for sending the fencers copies of the results and rankings which the selectors were considering. This was a very important part of the scheme, designed to try to reduce the possibility of appeals.
"I am therefore astounded that British Fencing failed to send Keith a copy of the results and information being supplied to the selectors. If this is the case, then clearly BF has failed to follow the correct procedure. I would have thought that the selectors must reconvene to consider any information that they did not have at the original meeting.
"It may even be that they are now fatally compromised, as it is always difficult to reverse a decision, and we need a new group of [British] selectors. I can understand and sympathise with Keith's frustration at the shambles."
Cook, who has been forceful in his condemnation of his governing body, was in no mood to change his stance. "If I was in a competition and kicked somebody in the shins, then I would be disqualified," said the 30 year-old yesterday. "British Fencing broke their own rules by denying me the correct selection procedure. Now they have broken the rules again by announcing the team without even acknowledging my appeal. By not following their own rules, they are bringing the sport into disrepute."
The national champion Anna Bentley, from Aberdeen, was named in the team yesterday as British Fencing confirmed their final three athletes for London. Sophie Troiano, 25, and 21-year-old Husayn Rosowsky join Bentley, 31 in the squad. Two reserves were also confirmed, in Martina Emanuel and Laurence Halsted.
"I am absolutely delighted about being selected, it is the culmination of many years of hard work and sacrifices," said Bentley. "I can't wait to compete in front of a home crowd."
athletics
The Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu warned her 400-metre rivals that she is ready to peak again at London 2012.
Ohuruogu has been plagued by injury since her triumph in Beijing and she suffered the heartbreak of a false start at the 2011 World Championships. But the 28-year-old ran a season's best 50.69 seconds in New York on Saturday and feels her Olympic preparations are right on track.
"I don't need that much to get me too hyped, I don't need rocking music," she said. "The occasion would definitely lift the performance levels of a lot of British athletes. I don't like the scenario but I think I respond well to it."
Far from feeling the weight of expectation, Ohuruogu said: "It is comforting to know I go in as defending Olympic champion. I don't have to prove anything to anybody because I have already done it."
n Emmanuel Mutai, who won last year's London Marathon, will replace the injured Moses Mosop in the Kenyan team. Mosop, who won the Chicago race in October, has suffered an achilles tendon injury. Abel Kirui, the double world champion, and Wilson Kipsang, who won the London Marathon in April, are the other members of the team. Athletics Kenya will name the rest of the team for the London Olympics on June 23
volleyball
Great Britain women will face Algeria at London 2012 just weeks after taking on the African champions in a double-header at Glasgow's Kelvin Hall.
Men. Pool A Great Britain, Italy, Poland, Argentina, Bulgaria, Australia
Pool B Brazil, Russia, USA, Serbia, Germany, Tunisia
Women. Pool A Great Britain, Japan, Italy, Russia, Dominican Republic, Algeria Pool B USA, Brazil, China, Serbia, Turkey, Korea
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