OCI set to reject Duffy's nomination for Sydney place

It is now extremely unlikely Teresa Duffy will be selected to compete at this year's Olympic Games in Sydney as Ireland's marathon representative. Following Catherina McKiernan's withdrawal from the event this week because of injury, Duffy was the Athletics Association of Ireland's (AAI) first-choice replacement.

Her name was subsequently put forward by the AAI to be ratified by the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI). However, according to sources within the OCI, her application to travel with the Irish team will probably be rejected at a meeting to be held next Tuesday.

To complicate matters the AAI will not be represented at the meeting to put forward the case of their athlete. The recently-formed AAI does not yet have a constitution and although their bona fides are fully accepted by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF), they are not official affiliates of the OCI.

The decision on Duffy comes in the light of claims by the OCI that they have to cut back on the numbers attending the Sydney Games largely because of the cost involved and as such argue they have been forced to take a less benign attitude than in the past to athletes who do not attain A standards.

Duffy, who works as a swimming pool attendant on the Falls Road and lives in Turf Lodge, one of Belfast's most troubled areas during the worst periods of violence in Northern Ireland, ran a personal best of two hours 38 minutes 30 seconds at this year's London Marathon. That time was more than 15 minutes slower than McKiernan's and outside the two hours 34 minute B standard set by the AAI. It is, however, inside the time of two hours 45 minutes set jointly by the International Olympic Committee and International Amateur Athletic Federation as a B standard.

It is likely Duffy's case will be given special consideration but this is also unlikely to succeed despite the fact the OCI have selected swimmers using the "special circumstances" option. Swimming was perceived to have been particularly hindered over the past 18 months because of a ministerial decision to withdraw funding from the sport after Olympic swimming coach Derry O'Rourke was jailed for child abuse in 1998.

The OCI made it clear in a letter sent to the relevant federations that they would be operating the selection criteria more rigidly than previously and maintain there should be no surprises attached to their decision-making process.

If all track and field athletes were selected on both A and B standards there would be, according to the AAI, approximately 50 people travelling to Sydney. The OCI put the figure closer to 75. On the basis of A standards only, the AAI estimate that 36 athletes will travel.

Given the event, Duffy will not have an opportunity to attempt a faster time. The OCI also maintain their policy is in keeping with other European countries who select on the basis of their athletes being in the top bracket of world times rather than qualifying standards.

"We are only going to look at very exceptional circumstances and will listen to individual cases. This is not the last chance for athletes and we will never close the door until we hear what they have to say. But this is the policy we have been forced into taking," said an IOC spokesperson.