• London Olympics 2012

Warburton added to Team GB after successful appeal

Gareth Warburton will compete at London 2012 © PA Photos

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British 800 metres runner Gareth Warburton has been added to Team GB for London 2012 after an appeal against his non-selection was successful.

Warburton was one of four athletes to be added to the squad for the forthcoming Olympic Games - but the only one of the 11 track & field individuals who lodged appeals against their original non-selection.

The likes of Jenny Simpson, Marilyn Okoro and Richard Kilty were all disappointed to be overlooked when the track and field selection was announced on Tuesday - but UK Athletics could only judge appeals against non-selection on the basis of whether due process was followed and all evidence was taken into consideration, measures by which only Warburton was successful.

He will now join Andrew Osagie and Michael Rimmer as the three Team GB athletes for the 800m.

"We appreciate that this is a difficult time for athletes who were not selected to Team GB," UKA chairman and appeals panel head Ed Warner said. "Appeals are heard on a matter of process and facts and not opinion and the panel considered 11 appeals today of which only Gareth's was successful.

"We ensure that the original selection committee has followed the selection criteria appropriately and have made their decisions based on full and correct facts.

"In the case of Gareth Warburton and in light of independent legal advice, the appeals panel decided that the combination of Warburton's current 'A' and current 'B' standards made him selectable under the UKA selection policy and he has been added to the team."

400m runner Simpson was enraged to be overlooked for the event in favour of UK Trials winner Lynsey Sharp, despite having achieved the Olympic 'A' qualifying standard compared to Sharp's 'B' effort. However, she accepted the decision of the appeals panel.

"My appeal was unsuccessful but at least I tried," Simpson said on Twitter. "Good luck to Gareth Warburton who fully deserves his place on the team after his appeal."

The other three athletes to be belatedly confirmed for the Olympics are Abigail Edmonds (women's K2 500m canoe sprint), John Garcia Thompson and Steve Grotowski (both men's volleyball).

A total of 542 athletes have now been selected for the Team GB squad for the Games.

Team GB chef de mission Andy Hunt said: "With the final athlete selections announced today we are now all set for the Delegation Registration Meeting on Monday, which is an important milestone and moment as that is when we officially enter the athletes and support staff selected to represent Team GB on home soil."

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