Athletics: Christie offered training facilities in wave of support

Linford Christie has been offered alternative training facilities in Australia after being banned from continuing his build-up to the Sydney Olympics in New South Wales. Many wishes of support have also been made supporting the former Olympic gold medallist. Earlier, UK Athletics chief executive David Moorcroft wrote to Australian athletics officials to protest about Christie's suspension from coaching in New South Wales. The former Olympic 100 metre champion has been banned from using state-owned facilities to coach his training squad by the NSW government after his positive test for nandrolone. Christie, who was cleared by UK Athletics last year, has been suspended by world body, the IAAF, until he faces their arbitration panel in April. The IAAF have defined their position in relation to the coaching ban however and stated, "Linford Christie has been suspended as an athlete. But this suspension has nothing to do with his activities as a coach." However, the IAAF do not have the power to order the Australians to reinstate him.

Christie's fate was learned yesterday after an earlier declaration by Australian athletics officials that he had been cleared to continue using facilities at the Sydney Academy of Sport to train his bunch of British sprinters. However, the NSW government then decided to invoke its rule which prohibits a suspended athlete from using facilities for training and coaching.

Athletics Australia chief Simon Allatson slammed the decision. He told the Sydney Morning Herald, "Linford has not been found guilty of a doping offence. He has been suspended pending a hearing and he may well be cleared."

The latest controversy comes in the wake of claims by sprinter Marcia Richardson that British athletes had become `paranoid' over the spate of positive tests for nandrolone. The British Olympic Association fear the nandrolone scandal could cost the country dear at this year's Games in Sydney. Two of Britain's top athletes, sprinter Dougie Walker and 400m runner Mark Richardson, have both tested positive for illegal levels of the steroid.

An independent UK Athletics Drugs Advisory panel have previously announced that Walker, Linford Christie and hurdler Gary Cadogan had no case to answer despite their positive tests. However, the IAAF have refused to accept the decision and are reviewing the cases. Richardson's case is to be aired at a UK Athletics hearing on Friday.

The findings have also reignited the debate over dietary supplements, with scientists believing they may be to blame for the rash of positive tests.