UK chief has high hopes for Idowu

UK Athletics chief executive Niels de Vos said he expects Phillips Idowu to do “very well” at the London Olympics, even though head coach Charles van Commenee said he does not know if the triple jumper will be fit.

Van Commenee also said he had considered deselecting the Beijing silver medallist, who has arranged his own medical treatment in London rather than attend the UKA training camp in Portugal, but De Vos feels that would be “a nonsense”.

“I think what Charles was saying is actually once someone has been selected, the only thing you can do if you have concerns is to deselect them and clearly it would be a nonsense to deselect someone of Phillips’ standing and ability,” De Vos said.

“I think that was the point he was making and it perhaps did not come across in the right manner.

“I am very confident Phillips will be fit. There has been a kind of media furore over this which is a bit of a nonsense. It’s manufactured by the media, essentially.”