Paula Radcliffe has described herself as "mortified" for wishing luck to a convicted rapist who is competing at the Olympics.
Dutch beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde served time in prison for the rape of a 12-year-old girl in 2014 and has controversially been selected for the Games.
In an interview with LBC, former marathon runner turned pundit Radcliffe said that it was a "tough thing to punish him twice" and that she "wished him the best of luck", drawing parallels with drugs cheats who are given second chances in sport.
However, writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday, Radcliffe said: "I am mortified that I expressed it so badly and didn't condemn the rape out loud. I do believe in second chances after serving punishment but think the Olympics should be for those who uphold the ideals (that’s why I poorly brought the doping comparison in)."
In other posts, Radcliffe, who is still the British marathon record holder, said: "I myself am shocked and disappointed at how I expressed this so badly" and "I really apologise for the way I phrased this. The utter condemnation of the crime in my head went without saying but I should have clarified that.
"Instead I poorly jumped to explaining why it would be great to exclude all who betray ideals but legally not possible."
Third seed Elena Rybakina became the latest high-profile withdrawal from the Olympic tennis competition on Thursday, hours after the draw was made at Roland Garros.
Kazakhstan's former Wimbledon champion has pulled out of the singles and mixed doubles in which she was due to partner Alexander Bublik.
No reason was given for her decision.
France's Caroline Garcia will now move into Rybakina's spot in the draw as the 17th seed, while Australia's Daria Saville enters the draw as an alternate.
Israel's participation in the Paris Olympics got under way yesterday amid a ring of steel and a chorus of boos at the Parc des Princes.
Over 1,000 French police, including masked counter-terrorist officers, created an additional security barrier prior to the nation’s clash with Mali in their first game in the men’s football competition.
Israel’s national anthem was booed by some sections in the approximately half-full stadium prior to kick-off, and a group of spectators stood in a line wearing t-shirts with initials that spelled 'Free Palestine’ in protest over the war in Gaza.
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, who greeted police outside the stadium prior to kick-off and attended the match, said the additional deployment was necessary in order "to ensure that we are there for the sport."
Fans of both nations mixed freely and largely peacefully inside and outside the stadium, although tempers frayed in a section immediately beneath the media tribune, where a small group waved Palestinian flags, one of which was snatched away by an Israel supporter.
Because Palestine has a team of eight athletes competing at the Games, Palestinian flags are permitted inside all Paris Olympic venues.
More than 20 police vans and a cavalcade of motor bikes surrounded the Israeli team bus as it swept from the team’s compound in the northern suburbs to the famous old stadium.
Mali, whose population is 95% Muslim, has not had diplomatic relations with Israel since 1973, but officials representing the African nation distanced themselves from any prospective protests in the build-up to the match.
The massive security operation was deemed necessary to protect the Israeli delegation, some of whom have reported receiving death threats ahead of the Games.
Last week, the Palestinian Football Association submitted a motion to suspend Israel from international competition, which world governing body FIFA said it will consider following the end of the Games.
An own goal by Hamidou Diallo handed Israel the lead shortly after half-time but Cheickna Doumbia equalised in the 63rd minute to salvage a 1-1 draw.
Meanwhile, Romanian athlete Florentina Iusco (above) will not compete at the Paris Olympics after global sport's top court partially upheld a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appeal on Thursday following her positive test for a banned substance last year.
The 28-year-old, who competes in the long jump and triple jump, tested positive for furosemide, a diuretic on WADA's prohibited list, in an out-of-competition doping control in April 2023.
The analysis of both her A and B samples confirmed the result, resulting in an anti-doping rule violation.
Elsewhere, Australian Olympic officials may send one of the team's coaches home for saying he hopes a South Korean swimmer he has worked with can beat his Australian rivals in the 400m freestyle when the meet starts on Saturday.
Michael Palfrey told media this week he hoped world champion Kim Woo-min would win gold in the event in which Australia's Sam Short and Elijah Winnington are also contenders.
Olympic swimming coaches are often freelancers who work with multiple nations' swimmers.
"There will be three or four of them in the race that think they can win it," media reports quoted Palfrey as saying.
"I think it's going to come down to that last 100m.
"We need Woo-min to lift, that’s what I’ll be saying to him. He's got to race tough.
"I really hope he can win, but ultimately I really hope he swims well."
Palfrey's comments triggered a fierce reaction from team officials and the Australian Olympic committee, who said Palfrey had made a "serious error of judgement" in a statement.
Team chef de mission Anna Meares said Palfrey's comments were a "surprise and a shock" while head swimming coach Rohan Taylor said officials would meet on Thursday to decide whether he would be allowed to continue in his role in Paris.
"Promoting an athlete who is not Australian is un-Australian," Taylor told reporters.
"If he stays, then it's about the team dynamic."
Palfrey coaches three Australian swimmers on the Olympic team - Zac Incerti, Abbey Connor, Alex Perkins and works with breaststroker Sam Williamson.
He has also been working with Kim and other South Korean swimmers who have trained in Australia.
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Additional reporting: Reuters
