DONALDSON IN SIGNAPORE BAR SHAME

Alasdair Donaldson will face a disciplinary hearing at UK Athletics next week after being photographed leaving a “nightclub of questionable orientation” when working at the Youth Olympics in Singapore. The media had been blocked from reporting the story until now after the Scot took out a super injunction towards the end of last week. However in an extraordinary incident late last night, the Newham and Essex Beagle showed pals pictures from inside the “questionable” club on his iPhone. Speaking from the High Court this lunchtime Mr Justice Fair agreed that by doing this, Donaldson had “wilfully contributed” to the story being made public and thus declared the injunction void. We can now reveal that the top endurance coach spent “at least thirty minutes” in the club and consumed “at least one” beverage that may or may not have been alcoholic. The hot spot has since been shut down after a raid by Malaysian police.

It is certainly a headache that UKA can do without, having been forced to deny that the sport had a drink problem earlier in the month when Michael Rimmer was seen intoxicated after the London Grand Prix. Added to this, the Governing Body are investigating claims that a group of Loughborough based stars have “been going on a rampage” in the Leicestershire town. A spokesman for the local police said that they were “watching the situation closely” but denied that Michael Bingham and Martyn Rooney had had to be forcibly removed from a night club over the weekend. A UKA source said that the organisation took the claims against Donaldson “very seriously” but would wait to hear his side of the story before making judgement. “Obviously it’s very worrying,” said the Athletics House insider, “the real shame is that Alasdair didn’t realise that someone of his profile was likely to attract media attention.”

Our source also said that he “did not know” whether Donaldson would still appear on The One Show this evening. The BBC were scheduled to be doing a full feature on the coach in recognition of his “outstanding contribution” to athletics. Just last week a Beeb insider told the Echo that they were planning on running a “complete history” of Donaldson “starting from when he was in school”. The senior executive also revealed that it had taken “many hours” to complete filming. In the wake of today’s stories it seems very unlikely that such a segment can still go ahead, with one member of the production team stating that airing may now be put back several weeks or scrapped altogether.

TEAM GB IN CRISIS AFTER STRING OF BUST UPS

UK Athletics have been keen to play down what some are calling the "biggest crisis in the history of British sport". Officials were hurriedly flown to Norway late last night amid fears that some of the nation's best athletes were on the brink of a mass walk out from the European Team Championships. Insiders have told of a "massive row" between team captain Mo Farah and long jumper Chris Tomlinson over what is fast becoming known as 'TV-Gate' and anger has also been expressed at Charles Van Commonee's decision to remove all mobile telephones from the athletes. "Chris and Mo fell out when Tommo [Tomlinson] couldn't work the tele," said a source close to both athletes, "we missed most of the first half because Tommo insisted on watching the Big Brother eviction." Farah was said to be fuming when Tomlinson demanded a front row seat for the entire game, despite pledging a swap at half time. Farah's official spokesman said that his charge was also upset at the "repulsive" accommodation. "I told Mo that he is going to have to tough it out this time," said the spokesman, "he was heavily criticised when he skipped the World Cross after party".

Van Commonee has caused a great deal of unrest after confiscating the mobile phones of all the athletes and banned them from access to "any fun whatsoever". Defending his decision, the bespectacled chief said "all smiling is banned. Even if they do well. Athletes have been having way too much fun in this country and that has to stop." This decision has caused outcry with many athletes slamming the treatment as "barbaric". An unnamed female athlete said that she was "unlikely to perform well in such a horrific, slave-like environment. It's like prison, pure and simple." It is thought that a coup organised by Dwain Chambers only failed when he inadvertently got the timings wrong- completely misunderstanding the time difference in Norway.

Elsewhere, Colin McCourt has been isolated by his team mates when he chose to wear an Algeria shirt on Friday evening. The Scot clashed violently with Martyn Rooney, who attempted to rip the shirt off his back after the England football team had failed to impress in the World Cup. McCourt was heard to be singing into the early hours and it was only when Ian Stewart told him something so awful that we cannot report it, that he went to bed.

UKA will no doubt be hoping for a quieter end to the Championships today, but with vaulter Steve Lewis having yet another argument with his pole after no-heighting, it looks like wishful thinking.

ATHLETICS COULD IN SOME WAY BE A LITTLE LIKE THE WORLD CUP SHOCK

BANDWAGON: The Echo would never think of jumping on one

In line with much of the media at the moment- not least Athletics' own Athletics Weekly- we are going to diligently list the 11 ways in which Track and Field can be compared to the Football World Cup.

1. ROONEY: Well, it doesn't take a genius to work out that England's Wayne shares his name with the far more famous Martyn- Team GB's heroic Olympic finalist.

2. PENALTY SHOOT-OUT: In some ways, the relays can be seen as a bit of a penalty shoot-out. We spend a lot of money on them but are still absolutely hopeless.

3. DELUSION: 'England are going to win the World Cup.' Much in the same way that Andy Baddeley is going to break the World 1500m record.

4. RUNNING: Footballers run. Coincidently so do athletes.

5. CAPELLO: Is the Echo alone in thinking that Sir Fabio (won't be long) looks quite a lot like the far more famous UKA Director of everything except endurance, Charles Van Commenee?

6. USAIN BOLT: ....likes football. Therefore it must be cool.

7. WATFORD BMC: The plucky BMC are directly competing with the England match tonight. ITV are understood to be offering a 'split screen' service to customers via the red button.

8. SCOTLAND: Are as terrible at football as they are at athletics.

9. GOLD: The World Cup is gold. Isn't it amazing that athletes chase gold medals in the Olympics as well?

10. THE FA: Nearly as useless UKA....but not quite.

11. SPONSORSHIP: Sponsors love World Cup. So we at the Echo would like to declare our love for the competition. It's great, isn't it? How a well read blog like this one can be so clearly linked to this multi-billion pound market? I am sure that lots of people would buy a product that was endorsed on a site that may possibly have exclusive coverage of the way in which athletics is a lot like football (or soccer if you are an American company). Not that a site would ever sell out like that.

MERRITT ACCEPTS GUILT IN ENHANCEMENT FOUL-UP

LaShawn Merritt, the disgraced 400m Olympic and World Champion has conceded that he “did a dumb ass thing” but has hit out at what he calls the “stupidly tight” USA team kit. Merritt tested positive on three separate occasions for an illegal steroid which he claims was in an over the counter “male enhancement” drug. Whilst the star said he would accept “any punishment” handed down, he pleaded for clemency on the grounds of “complex personal issues”. “It’s alright for the likes of Usain [Bolt] and Tyson [Gay], they don’t have anything to be ashamed of,” said a stricken Merritt from a press conference in New York, “but those suits really highlight the fallibility of someone like myself...I wanted to wear jogging shorts but they [USATF] wouldn’t allow it.” The 400m star now faces a two year suspension and the prospect of having his reputation sullied for the rest of his career.

The American spoke of a “bullying culture” in the athletics locker rooms around the globe. “The Golden Leagues were the worst,” explained Merritt, “Jeremy Wariner laughed in my face prior to my race in Paris- he called me mini-Merritt and that gets to you after a while. The truth is that I have had to put up with it since High School.” The Olympic Champion also spoke of the “other options” that he looked at before resorting to medication. “I tried to stick a sock down there for the 4x400m in Beijing- but then Martyn Rooney just called me socky-Shawn. As I was about to race I would shout ‘go sock it to ‘em Shawn’ and that was too much. I had to act.” It has also been revealed that surgical enhancement was ruled out due to “proportionality”. The athlete went on, “I only really wanted an increase in girth and length of around 3-5%. Surgery would have led to at least a 15% increase and that would have been very noticeable as well as uncomfortable....it would also have left me unable to race for six to seven months.”

Merritt’s revelations are bad news for another convicted dopester, Justin Gatlin. The former 100m Olympic Champion famously claimed that he tested positive after a wayward masseuse rubbed “testosterone gel” into his enlarged quadriceps. Gatlin’s representatives were remaining coy this morning, but did reveal that they felt their charge’s title for “best excuse” was under threat. “I think we all thought it would be a very long time before we had an excuse to rival Justin’s. LaShawn has shown originality and we have to respect that.” It is not known whether Gatlin will come up with another reason for his doping misdemeanours but “nothing has been ruled out” by his camp. “Justin is a proud man. Everyone respected him for his doping excuses and now they are talking about someone else. That’s sport and we now need to figure out how to respond to it.”

Closer to home, British starlet James Desaolu has bemoaned Merritt’s behaviour as a “major blow” to male athletes around the world. “It’s a vanity thing,” stormed the Loughborough based man, “we all looked at LaShawn and thought ‘there’s a guy who is small and proud’. We can’t do that anymore and that’s really sad.” Action groups across the country have also condemned Merritt’s actions saying that they fear an uptake in artificial enhancement. A spokesman for The Institute of Testicular Care and Happiness (TITCH) said, “we are what we are and we should be happy with that. What we don’t want is hundreds and thousands of young men resorting to these measures. Anyone with any fears should log on to www.sizeisnteverything.com.” Meanwhile the BBC have not ruled out raising the issue at the final Prime Ministerial debate to be held next Thursday. A Corporation insider said, “we can’t deny that size does matter and it would be interesting to get the leaders’ take on that.” The Liberal Democrat and Conservative Parties both refused to comment when contacted today, but Gordon Brown’s spokesman said that it was a “pertinent point that needed addressing.”

Merritt, meanwhile has pledged that we will be back in competition after his ban. “I am going to run for smaller gentlemen everywhere,” he said, “I have let them all down and so will prove that you don’t have to be big to win.”

McLEOD SEASON IN JEAPORDY AFTER CALL OF DUTY DEFEAT

Ryan McLeod has confessed today that he "does not know" how long he will be out of action following a catastrophic incident with his Playstation 3 on Monday. The 24 year-old was so incensed at being beaten by Olympic 400m finalist Martyn Rooney that he kicked his console from one side of the room to the other. The pair had been locked in a fierce battle "for some hours" before McLeod made what he has called a "basic error". Rooney for his part was said to be vitriolic and it was a combination of this and personal frustration that led to McLeod's violent response. "It didn't hurt that much at the time," explained the abashed Tipton Harrier, "but when I woke up on Tuesday, I could barely walk."

McLeod's coach, John Nutall, is said to be fuming at the incident and has pledged to have "firm words" with all of his charges over the potential pitfalls computer games. "This is not the first time computers have got in the way of athletics," sighed the coach, "I remember when Chris Thompson lost to Scott Overall on Pro Evolution Soccer- the pair were literally at each other's throats."

McLeod is set to undergo a scan towards the end of the week and has said that he is "hopeful" the injury is not too serious. "It's not a fracture," he affirmed "it can't be as I didn't even break my PS3". McLeod has been known to react poorly to computer game defeats in the past. Last year he unwittingly knocked a neighbour unconscious when he tossed his controller out of his second-floor window in a fit of rage. Just last month, the 5k man was in trouble after hurling abuse at autograph hunters on a late-night visit to Tesco. It was only after the incident that McLeod revealed that he was "stocking up" ahead of a long night's play and was "under immense pressure."