Gillingham resumes fight

Swimming

An unexpected letter from a London lawyer could persuade Britain's Nick Gillingham to re-launch his attempt to secure the bronze medal that never was at this summer's Atlanta Olympics.

Gillingham's appeal against the reinstatement of the Russian Andrei Korneyev, who failed a drug test after finishing third in the 200m breaststroke final, appeared to have ground to a halt a few weeks ago. But, following the letter, Gillingham looks set to continue his battle for the medal, which he was temporarily awarded after Korneyev's positive test only to lose it after a successful appeal by the Russian.

"I have received a letter out of the blue from a sports lawyer in London who has taken an interest in my case," Gillingham said. "He thinks that I may have a case to overturn it and I hope to see him in the next few days."

Gillingham, who was bidding in Atlanta to become the first British swimmer to win individual medals at three separate Games, said: "I have two choices. I either pay this guy or take on the case myself and take it to the Court of Human Rights.

"The whole incident has taken the shine off the medal. The case is now a matter of principle."