Athletics promoter Alan Pascoe has called for Tim Montgomery and Marion Jones to fly to Europe and explain their decision to work with disgraced coach Charlie Francis.

Francis was the coach who supervised Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson's drug regime.

Johnson was stripped of his gold medal after winning the 100m at the Seoul Olympics in 1988 and was subsequently banned for life from the sport.

Montgomery and Jones' decision to work with Francis has stunned the athletics world and Pascoe, who organises meetings, believes the pair have some explaining to do.

It is extraordinary that Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery should have appointed this guy Sebastian Coe

"We think there's a lot of innuendo and a lot of misunderstanding, or at least we hope there's a lot of misunderstanding on this," he said.

"And unless the whole thing is cleared up I am sure we and other promoters will have to take a view that we couldn't afford for the publicity for the meetings to be completely overrun by drugs stories.

"That is what is now going to happen."

Montgomery is due to compete in Britain on 21 February and Pascoe admitted that he was not sure if the 100m world record holder would be allowed to take part.

"We've certainly got to review that," said Pascoe.

Alan Pascoe is worried about negative publicity

"What we've got to do is be responsible with this and try and get them to be responsible and explain their actions.

"There may be a position which they can defend.

"I'm sure they are completely unaware of the impact the story is having in Europe and the impact it will have on their earning capacity if they continue this association without making any statement explaining it."

Former Olympic champion Sebastian Coe has described Montgomery and Jones' decision to appoint Francis as "extraordinary".

"It's a hugely controversial appointment and it's not one that is a particularly sensible one," he said.

"Charlie Francis has been out of coaching for a long time but he did bring to the sport the biggest problem we've ever had, and at the highest level.

"It is extraordinary that Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery should have appointed this guy and for them to think this is going to sail by without any serious questioning by the meet promoters and by people in the sport internationally."