 Diack: Mystified by British absence |
UK Athletics has defended its decision not to send a competitor to the world half-marathon races at the weekend. The International Association of Athletics Federations castigated the body for failing to send a representative to New Delhi, India.
But a statement from UK Athletics said: "UK Athletics felt it was not viable to send a team.
"This is due to the closeness of the event to the Olympic Games and the need for a period of acclimatisation."
On Monday, IAAF president Lamine Diack had said: "I am very disappointed that they did not send anyone - what is going on?
"I'm going to have a word with [UK Athletics] to find out why not a single runner came here."
UK Athletics said it will fund four male and four female athletes to compete at the international half-marathon in Reims, France, on 17 October.
In its statement, the body added: "This will give some UK endurance athletes a valuable competition opportunity at a more appropriate level for their current ability than the world-half marathon."
MMIX
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