Jemma Simpson has lodged an appeal against the British Olympic Association’s decision to not select her for London 2012.
The former three times British champion was devastated to be overlooked by for Team GB – particular given the Association decision to only pick one athlete for the 800m.
Team GB can enter three women in the 800m category but they have instead opted to select just one woman, 21-year-old Lynsey Sharp.
Sharp won the British trials two weeks ago in Birmingham but failed to achieve the Olympic ‘A’ standard.
Simpson finished second to Sharp but is getting quicker with every week and feels certain she will run faster.
Marilyn Okoro and Jenny Meadows have both already ran the ‘A’ Standard this year but were also both overlooked.
Meadows has been struggling with an Achilles injury and was unable to participate in the British trials or the European Championships last weekend in Helsinki whilst Okoro is struggling with form.
Sharp clearly has the current form but she has never ran to the ‘A’ Standard, unlike Simpson.
However, the decision to overlook all three girls has left onlookers baffled and Simpson has lodged an appeal.
Under Team GB’s own selection rules they claim they cannot pick a mixture of runners who have and have not achieved the ‘A’ standard – even thought Simpson would be selected under IAFF rules.
