Olympics: Phillips Idowu could face fitness test

THE row over GB Olympic athlete Phillips Idowu continued last night after the British Olympic Association requested to see his medical records. The 33-year-old could yet be asked to undergo a fitness test before triple jump qualifying on Tuesday 7 August.

And UK Athletics head coach Charles van Commenee – who does not speak to Idowu after a row over the latter’s withdrawal from the European Team Championships last year – admits the situation is now in the BOA’s hands.

Speaking as news emerged that Dave Webb had been deselected from the marathon for a lack of fitness, Van Commenee said: “If I were in a similar situation next time and an ex-world champion, an athlete who medalled in the last four years, took the route that Phillips is taking at the moment, would I then exclude him at the Games? That’s the question. I feel I don’t want to be in the way of this athlete to fulfil his dream.”

Idowu’s camp were unhappy that the BOA’s request to see the Olympic silver medallist’s records became public, but Van Commenee believes they were entitled to make such a request.

“I can understand the BOA because there is something like fairness across the board,” he added. “Every rule has to apply to every athlete. So Dave Webb, for instance, has been deselected because he did not show fitness on Sunday.”