German duo pull out of Championships

Germany have been forced to find late replacements for Danny Ecker and Ruwen Faller who both on Wednesday pulled out of the squad for the European Indoor Championships in Madrid this weekend.

Pole-vaulter Ecker will not make the trip after being laid low by flu and his place has been given to Bjorn Otto, who was fourth at the German indoor championships and had already attained the qualifying mark for the event but missed out behind the leading three from Sindelfingen.