British Javelin in Revolt

The most successful sport in British Olympic athletics for the past quarter of a century is in open revolt following the removal of the man behind nearly all its success which, in turn, has led to a petition signed by a host of athletics superstars to be handed over to the UK Athletics Performance Director, Charles van Commenee, next week.

On the day after the men's javelin final at the world athletics championships - an event that saw no British representative after Mervyn Luckwell finished last on Friday night's qualifying - Sportsvibe can reveal that the likes of Steve Backley, a current UKA Vice President and team mentor, as well as former quadruple European champion, double world silver medallist and three time Olympic medallist, Tessa Sanderson, the 1984 Olympic champion, Dave Otley, the 1984 Olympic silver medallist, and Mick Hill, world bronze medallist, world silver and three times Commonwealth silver medallist, have added their names to a long petition featuring a who's who of British javelin and, increasingly, British athletics, in support of John Trower, who has coached all of the above, and many more.

Trower left UK Athletics last month just a year after being appointed Technical Group Leader for Throws, taking a specific responsibility for the javelin, after spending 25 years involved in the discipline, a period of time that has seen British javelin throwers win seven Olympic medals which is three more than any other individual track and field event. The position has subsequently been made redundant and Trower, faced with no meaningful alternatives, took voluntary redundancy and is now actively seeking employment in the sport elsewhere. It means that the British team came to Berlin without a lead coach for the javelin and with the London Olympics in 2012 now less than three years away.

With Trower, who refused to comment last night, sitting at home back in England, the discipline with a rich history of success in the past 25 years - this also includes former world champion and twice Olympic medallist Fatima Whitbread - is not only rudderless but angered to the core. Trower, according to sources, was offered the chance to apply for the position of National Event Coach for the Javelin, but this role, initially part-time, now appears to be non-existent.

It seems that British athletics has had enough, and the likes of former coaches Tom "Chariots of Fire" McNab, John "Gladiator" Anderson and Wilf Paish have also added their names to a rapidly expanding list of disgruntled stars and coaches across the country prepared to take public issue with Van Commenee and UKA's Chief Executive, Niels de Vos.

Sportsmail has obtained a copy of the petition which UKA already are aware of. It states: "We have learned that John Trower is no longer employed by UK Athletics. This is a great loss to our event. We as a group consider John to be the best co-ordinator of opinion on our event not only in the UKA but in the world. To lose him at this crucial stage in the devlopment of our sport could be disastrous. We feel that John has an understanding of performance, technique and preparation  at all levels within our sport and his diverse knowledge of our event is unique and therefore irreplaceable. We would like to see John continue an involvement in assisting coaches and athletes through the formal structure of UKA. Please consider the following list as a signed petition of our support for John and hope that it can sway opinion to help the decision making of the future strategy in one of British Athletics' most successful events of all time." Underneath appears a long list of names, including all the stars.  

Backley, commentating for the BBC last night, confirmed his support of the revolt. "British athletics has a long and successful history in the javelin and, with 2012 just three years' away, this is precisely the wrong time to not only lose a coach of John Trower's stature, but also not to have a lead coach in the event," he said. "I'd like to see this situation resolved rapidly to ensure that we continue to enjoy the same success in the javelin as before."