Warburton wins Olympics appeal but 10 other British hopefuls are rejected
|
UPDATED:
15:40 GMT, 6 July 2012
Reprieve: Gareth Warburton won his appeal
Gareth Warburton has been added to Great Britain's athletics team for London 2012 in the 800 metres after winning an appeal over his non-selection.
Warburton was left out of the 77-strong team which was announced on Tuesday, having failed to achieve the second 'A' qualifying time he needed during last week's European Championships.
However, the 29-year-old Welshman's appeal was successful, meaning he joins Andrew Osagie and Michael Rimmer in the 800m.
Ed Warner, chairman of UKA and the chairman of the appeals panel, said: 'We appreciate that this is a difficult time for athletes who were not selected to Team GB.
'Appeals are heard on a matter of process and facts and not opinion, and the panel considered 11 appeals today of which only Gareth's was successful.
'We ensure that the original selection committee has followed the selection criteria appropriately and have made their decisions based on full and correct facts.
'n the case of Gareth Warburton and in light of independent legal advice, the appeals panel decided that the combination of Warburton's current A and current B standards made him selectable under the UKA selection policy and he has been added to the team.'
Agony: Jemma Simpson and Lynsey Sharp both missed out
Warburton, who was just 0.2 seconds away from achieving the qualifying time in Helsinki, said: 'I am absolutely delighted to have been selected to Team GB to represent my country at our home Olympic Games.
'This is an incredible opportunity for me and I intend to make the most of it. I am joining a fantastic team of athletes and we're all focused on doing Britain proud this summer.'
Among the other athletes to appeal were Emma Jackson, Marilyn Okoro and Jemma Simpson in the women's 800m, with Lynsey Sharp controversially selected despite only having the 'B' standard.
Jackson, who had been hampered by a rib injury when finishing seventh at the Olympic trials, wrote on Twitter: 'Not too surprised that the appeal was rejected but I had to try. All I can do now is prove to everybody that I should have been in the team.'