English sprinter Mark Lewis-Francis will be arrested on a warrant without bail when he returns from the European Indoor Championships in Vienna on Monday.
The world 100 metres junior champion was due to appear at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court this morning but failed to turn up.
The West Midlands bench issued a warrant without bail against Lewis-Francis who was facing charges of driving without a licence, no insurance, no MOT test certificate and going through a red light. He also had no documents in his possession.
This morning the 19-year-old winner of a world indoor 60m bronze medal a year ago, flew into the Austrian capital with the British team.
With Jason Gardener he is co-favourite to win the short sprint title during the championships which get underway on Friday.
The 60m heats take place on Saturday morning, followed the following day by the semi-final and final in the afternoon.
It is possible Lewis-Francis could return home to Birmingham on Sunday night - but being a weekend and after 5pm there would be no court sittings.
That would definitely mean he would be arrested and detained in police cells before answering his bail to Wolverhampton Magistrates Court at the earliest on Monday morning.
Lewis-Francis said tonight: "In the summer of 2001 I pleaded not guilty by post to driving without a full licence.
"I had nothing back. I am mystified by the summons."
A UK Athletics spokeswoman indicated that Lewis-Francis still intends competing in the championships -although the team management are discussing the matter this evening.
It was only last week that another top British sprinter, Christian Malcolm, was bailed by a North Wales court to return next month and produce documents which he failed to do in an incident in the Principality.
PA