Enlarge imageBy Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) - Controversial former sprinter Linford Christie was mistakenly invited to carry the Beijing Olympic torch when it passes through London, the Greater London Authority (GLA) said on Friday.
Reports that Christie, who tested positive for nandrolone in 1999 and served a two-year ban, was to be part of a torch relay involving 80 people on April 6 had brought criticism from the British Olympic Association (BOA) and denials from Mayor of London Ken Livingstone’s office.
Christie’s agent Sue Barrett told BBC Radio Five Live that he had received a letter signed by Livingstone inviting him to take part, although overseas coaching commitments would have prevented his appearance anyway.
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A GLA spokesman said in a statement that the invitation had been a mistake.
"The decision to invite Linford Christie was taken by officials and was a mistake. The Mayor merely issued letters to those they had decided to invite as a formality," the statement said.
An earlier GLA statement explained that Livingstone had had the right to nominate five torchbearers and that Christie had not been not one of them but made no mention of any mistake.
"Linford Christie has made it clear he will not be participating in the torch relay," the early statement said.
TESTED POSITIVE
Christie, who celebrates his 48th birthday four days before the relay, won the Olympic 100 metres gold medal in 1992 but tested positive for the steroid nandrolone in 1999.
Christie, who has always denied taking performance enhancing substances, is not allowed to work in any official capacity with the national Olympic team under BOA rules.
The GLA is organising the relay across London from Wembley Stadium -- site of the 1948 Games -- to the O2 Arena that will serve as a venue for the 2012 Olympics.
The only names released so far by the GLA are those of retired middle-distance runner Kelly Holmes, who won two gold medals at the 2004 Games in Athens, broadcaster Trevor McDonald and actress Amara Karan.
With the slogan ’Light the passion, Share the dream’ and the theme of ’Journey of harmony’, the Olympic torch will visit 22 cities around the world before arriving in Beijing’s Olympic stadium for the official opening of the 2008 Games.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Trevor Huggins and Sonia Oxley)
