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Your support makes all the difference.As if Phillips Idowu did not already have enough on his plate – what with his battle to gain fitness in time for the Games and his long-running spat with Charles van Commenee – the triple jumper now finds himself at odds with the British Olympic Association. As the saga of the East Ender's fitness rumbled on yesterday, his agent, Jonathan Marks, said Idowu was "incredibly disappointed" after the BOA made public a request to see his medical records.
The demand was made after it was announced on Monday that Idowu would stay in London to have private treatment for a hip problem rather than go to Portugal for the British track and field team's holding camp at Monte Gordo. "He's incredibly disappointed and surprised as to why the BOA has chosen to do this," Marks said. "We are more than happy to send the BOA the medical records. Our office has even had a call from a member of the BOA medical team who has also expressed surprise at the organisation's decision to go public with the request."
Idowu, who took the silver medal in Beijing four years ago, has not competed since 2 June and missed the London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace the weekend before last after aggravating a hip problem in the warm-up. Speaking to the Evening Standard yesterday, the 33-year-old Londoner insisted: "I'm fine, I'm OK. Things are being blown out of proportion. I made the decision to stay in the UK for another week just so I can work with the physio."
BOA spokesman, Darryl Seibel, said: "Our chief medical officer, Dr Ian McCurdie, wrote to Phillips and his agent yesterday asking that he provide the relevant medical records relating to his injury and the treatment he is currently receiving. Those should be provided to our chief medical officer on a confidential basis. The basis for doing this is a clause in our team members' agreement that says athletes are required to provide details of any injury or illness that may impact on their performance during the Games."
Team GB chef de mission, Andy Hunt, added: "Our chief medical officer has written to him and after we have heard back we can make a decision. Let's understand the nature of the injury first. There's no decision to be taken yet."
Things are being blown out of proportion. I made a decision to stay in the UK so I can work with the physio
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