UK to decide Christie case

Sydney Olympics organisers (SOCOG) said on Tuesday it was up to Britain's Olympic committee to decide if Linford Christie can coach at next month's Games, despite a two-year ban for drug use.

"That's a matter for the British Olympic Association to decide on," SOCOG spokesman Milton Cockburn told Reuters.

"We process accreditation. It's a matter for them (British Olympic Committee), not us."

Christie, 40, the 1992 Olympic 100 metres champion, has retired from competition. He currently coaches international athletes.

Christie and fellow British athletes Doug Walker and Gary Cadogan were banned from competition for a minimum of two years by the sport's ruling body on Monday.

The arbitration panel of the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) announced its decision after spending three days last week hearing evidence on the cases of all three, who had tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid nandrolone.

The trio failed dope tests in the space of four months in late 1998 and early 1999, but were subsequently cleared of doping by their national body UK Athletics.

Unhappy with this decision, the IAAF in November suspended the athletes and ordered the three cases to be considered by their arbitration panel.

"This (ban) makes him (Christie) ineligible to compete in international or national competitions but this sort of ban, in our judgment, has nothing to do with coaching," IAAF general secretary Istvan Gyulai told Sky News on Monday.

"If he is accredited, and this is a matter for the British Olympic Association, then he can have access to the same facilities as any other coaches at the Olympic Games."

Christie said he was disappointed the IAAF tribunal did not accept new scientific evidence.

"I have always made it clear that I have no confidence in the IAAF's arbitration process and this simply reaffirms this," he said.