Athletics: Men get Euro Cup reprieve

Britain's men yesterday found themselves back in the European Cup Super League two days after being relegated, thanks to a loophole obligingly created by the European Athletic Association.

A lacklustre display in Florence over the weekend meant that the teamdropped out of the élite, just as the British women were regaining their status. But the EAA Council has ruled that, as next year's venue in Malaga is being built with nine lanes, the team which finished seventh - Britain - can take the extra place alongside the six automatic qualifiers and two promoted teams. According to the EAA, they were only informed by the Spanish Athletics Federation of the extra lane at the weekend.

Dave Collins, the performance director for UK Athletics, had declared that he would not be applying for the extra lane. Yesterday, however, he said: "As the rules have been amended, Great Britain has been offered a get-out-of-jail free card, which I cannot refuse."

The rules shifted on Sunday when the EAA decided that if Spain - guaranteed a place as hosts - missed one of the automatic qualifying places, they would take the extra lane, rather than displace a team above them. But Spain's men qualified as of right.

There will be relief at the survival of one of the European super-powers, whose presence maintains the event's marketability. It is good too for the BBC, which supplies a lion's share of the fee paid for televising rights to the European Broadcasting Union in a contract due for renewal in 2007.