Radcliffe blasts 'damaging' Euro switch

Paula Radcliffe has criticised plans to make the European Championships a biennial event because it will clash with the Olympics.

The European Athletics Association (EAA) plans to stage the competition every two years, starting just prior to the London Olympics in 2012. It is currently held just once every four years.

Radcliffe, 33, who is still planning to compete at a fifth Olympiad on home soil, believes the new system could work were the event not staged in Olympic years.

But the world marathon record holder is adamant the EAA’s intention to stage a meeting in 2012 will see it plummet down most athletes’ list of priorities.

It is inconceivable any British athlete would risk taking part in the championships just a month before chasing Olympic glory.

Instead, Radcliffe believes that while the senior stars concentrate on Olympic aspirations, younger ones will be drafted in as European stand-ins.

Radcliffe is a strong supporter of the European movement and a 5000 metres gold medallist, but she insisted: “I think we should have only one championships a year.

“When we combine the Europeans with the Commonwealths, it’s two lower-level championships.

“That would work.”

She is convinced clashing with the Games cycle will undermine the European championships, which in its present format has always been highly successful.

Radcliffe said: “I think having two in Olympic year will end up with the situation of the most promising Under-23s going to the European Championships and the others going to the Olympics.

“Then we’ve damaged the value of the European Championships.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

The problem is further complicated by the fact that trial events for both would have to take place – adding an almost impossible burden on anyone wishing to double up.

EAA president Hansjorg Wirz argued at the weekend that holding the championships alternately with the Commonwealth Games and then the Olympics would be a major improvement.

Wirz, referring to 1992, said: “When we had our European Championships in Munich we had two weeks before the Commonwealth Games.

“We even discussed with the Commonwealth Games organisation that they change the sequence of the competition, because normally it has athletics at the end of the championships.

“So they were at the beginning and changed with swimming. So there was then a big space between.

“The British made quite good results and they were very happy.”

The EAA leader added: “But that was not the basis to our decision. That was just an explanation about the feeling that athletes had.

“It is always a question of how mentally you are ready to go in any situation. It is clear we have other athletes. They are saying: ’We are very happy about that.”’

The EAA is well aware some of its competitions are on the decline and has recognised the need for change.

“If you change something there are always two positions,” said Wirz.

Although serving on the International Association of Athletics Federations council as an area representative, primarily he is a staunch advocate of promoting the EAA.

Wirz admitted: “The question is what serves the movement most, what does the movement need to be successful in the future?

“And we know we are not in a position where everything is on the best side. We have to work for the future. That is why we have chosen that way.”