24/08/2008 10:43 PM
Sebastian Coe believes the controversial Christine Ohuruogu deserves to be respected not derided.
The chairman of the London 2012 Olympic committee said he was 'proud and privileged' to give Ohuruogu her gold medal after she won the 400 metres.
Yet Ohuruogu maintains a struggle to win widespread affection after she missed three out-of-competition drug tests.
Lord Coe, a double Olympic 1500 metres champion, feels it time for the issue to be put to bed.
"I thought she ran a phenomenal race. It was a fabulous piece of running," he told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek program.
"She paid a high price for not having her life, as she said herself, in an organised fashion."
"There are pressures on her life, which she was very open about. The issue for me was clear and even clearer for the Court of Arbitration."
"They found no evidence at all that any cheating was involved. She simply now understands how seriously we take the rule regarding whereabouts in our sport."
"I was delighted Chris won. She converted a world championship into an Olympic championship. I can't tell you how proud and privileged I was to give her the medal."
The British team's Chef De Mission Simon Clegg also defended Ohuruogu.
"Christine has been embraced in the team here, as has every other member. She is popular and what happened is behind her," he said.
"The anti-doping rules are there to catch people cheating. They are not there to catch people who make administrative errors."
"Let's not forget Christine was one of the first people to go through this system and I do not think at that stage there was a full understanding of the seriousness of being involved regarding whereabouts."
Coe admitted he was disappointed that Team GB only secured four athletics medals, including Ohuruogu's gold.
"I do not think anyone goes back thinking there is not a lot of work to be done," he said.
"Track and field at international level is a tough sport to win a medal. You look up at the roof of the Bird's Nest and there are 215 flags."
"So it is a universal sport and a tough one. But there are some areas, clearly middle distance, it grieves me to say, the standard is not good enough."
"We have talked a lot about great coaching and that is what is going to have to drive our sport forward in the next four years."