Something must be done about athletes transferring allegiance, says Fionnuala McCormack

The spectre of country-hopping raised its head again at the European Cross-Country Championships in Sardinia as the top two in both the senior men’s and women’s races were Kenyan-born, recently-recruited Turkish athletes.

For the second time in six months, Fionnuala McCormack found herself relegated out of the medals in such circumstances, as she finished fifth in the senior women’s event, where she was bidding in the seaside resort of Chia to become the first athlete to take this crown three times.