Lewis has her sights set on Paris and Athens

David Moorcroft, chief executive of UK Athletics, has backed a request from Lewis to give accreditation to Dr Ekkart Arbeit for the European Cup of Combined Events in Talinn next month.

Arbeit has been linked with doping programmes in East Germany in the 1970s and 80s.

Now the row over his backing threatens to overshadow Lewis' first full heptathlon since winning the Sydney Olympics.

Peter Radford, former chief executive of the British Athletic Federation, said he was appalled at the decision.

"It is implicit approval of what he did," he told the Guardian newspaper.

"It's a very significant move. It sends a very big signal out that the sport has given up on what is right and morally correct."

Max Jones, UK Athletics performance director said not giving Arbeit accreditation would be a huge disadvantage for Lewis and would prevent her competing.

"We had personal reservations. We discussed his background and the publicity he attracts," he said. "But it was decided to treat hm as a normal coach."

Cram: Leave Denise alone

UK Athletics chief executive David Moorcroft, meanwhile, has said Lewis is free to choose whoever she wants as coach.

BBC athletics commentator and former 1500m world record holder Steve Cram says the controversy over her involvement with Arbeit has been blown out of all proportion.

"There is a lot of hypocrisy kicking around," Cram told this website. "It is wrong to jump up and down about Denise when a lot of high-profile athletes, of all nationalities, are coached by people who have been banned for doping offences.

"Denise has far too much intelligence to have someone like Arbeit even suggest that she should take an illegal substance.

"I don't believe for one minute that she has gone to him on the basis that he has used drugs with athletes before.

"Everyone loves to jump on the bandwagon and say, 'Well, he once advocated drugs, now she's being coached by him...' and then make a quantum leap to saying it taints Denise. It doesn't."

The row casts a cloud over the return of Lewis in Tallinn.

Macey's is aiming for another world championship medal

She, along with decathlete Dean Macey are both due to return after lengthy absences from competition.

Lewis, who is working towards the IAAF World Championships in Paris this August, said: "This is my first heptathlon in three years and is one small step towards the Olympic Games in Athens next year."

Lewis will team-up with Julie Hollman, who is fit again from injuries that wrecked her medal chances at last summer's Commonwealth Games and European Championships.

Macey, who won decathlon medals at the last two World Championships, is using the event to test his fitness after a lengthy injury lay-off.