British Athletics reveals policy which could deny athletes the chance to compete at both international age-group championships and senior World Champs in 2015

British athletes who are selected for either the 2015 European Under-23 Championships or the European Junior Championships will not generally be considered for individual spots at the senior IAAF World Championships later on in the summer, recently-announced selection criteria for the age-group events reveals.

The events all take place in the summer of 2015, with British Athletics stating that, in general, the national governing body does not consider it to be “conducive to either short term results or long term development” for under-20 and under-23 athletes to compete at both championships.

With the Euro Under-23s taking place in Tallinn, Estonia, from July 9-12 and the Euro Juniors in Eskilstuna, Sweden, from July 16-19 before the later than usual Worlds in Beijing, China, on August 22-30, there is more than a month between the events.

The decision is all the more notable given that selection for the European Under-23s will be made the week before the senior trials on July 3-5, while the first batch of selections for the European Juniors will take place before the trials and the second batch two days afterwards.

Special conditions do exist when it comes to relays and combined events in this this no-double policy, however. Athletes selected for the European U23s or European Juniors in either an individual or relay event may still be considered for relay selection at the World Championships, while combined eventers may request selection in a single event at one of the championships and combined events at the other.

It should also be noted that British Athletics suggests that exceptions can be made over the decision not to allow athletes to double up, at the discretion of performance director Neil Black.

Many athletes in the past have found it possible to perform well at both international age-group championships and senior World Championships. In 2013 sprinter Adam Gemili won European under-23 gold before going on to finish fifth over 200m at the World Championships in Moscow.

Another notable example could be from 1999 when decathlete Dean Macey crashed out in the hurdles at the start of day two at the European Under-23s but went on to make a name for himself less than a month later with silver at the World Championships in Seville.

Responding on Twitter to news of the selection policy, hurdler Seb Rodger, who won European under-23 400m hurdles silver in 2013 before going on to finish sixth in the Worlds semi-final, said: “Seems a bit mad, my 2013 season I had no problem and loved the experience!”

The GB selection policies for both the European U23 Championships and the European Juniors can be downloaded here.

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