Athletics: McColgan's untimely withdrawal

LIZ McCOLGAN'S withdrawal yesterday from Britain's team for the European Cup in Rome this weekend angered team officials who expressed concern at not being told earlier that the world 10,000 metres champion had a serious injury.

McColgan has pulled out with what her husband, Peter, described as a hamstring problem dating back to the London Marathon in April. He said: 'We felt it would go away, but over the past couple of days she has been feeling knackered. All the wear and tear has been building up.'

Tony Ward, the spokesman for the British team, said: 'We wish we had known about the problem before.' Cheshire's Suzanne Rigg has been called up as a replacement.

McColgan, due to defend her world title in Stuttgart in August, will consult a specialist. It has been a troubled year for the Scot after her failure to win a medal at the Olympics last summer. She was third in the London Marathon, later admitting to being overweight.

Last month she accused Yvonne Murray of unfair use of her elbows after losing to her rival in a 5000 metres in Aberdeen. McColgan also replaced her husband as coach and turned to her manager, Kim McDonald. 'It's hard to be married to your coach,' she said. 'You find you take the problems of athletics into the household.'

Jackie Joyner-Kersee, the twice Olympic heptathlon champion, and the shot world record-holder, Randy Barnes, head the US team to meet Britain in Edinburgh on 2 July.