WILSON KIPKETER, who earlier this week ran the fastest 800 metres in 11 years, will not be allowed to compete in the Olympics, according to IOC sources in Atlanta yesterday.
A last minute request to allow the Kenyan born Kipketer, who is at the centre of a nationality row, to run under the Olympic Hag will be formally turned down at today's IOC executive board meeting, added the source.
Kipketer has lived in Denmark for the past six years but has another year before he gains full citizenship.
Although International Amateur Athletic Federation rules allow him to run for his adopted country, under IOC requirements he could only run for Denmark in the Olympics if Kenya renounced their claim on him. The East Africans refuse.
Kipketer caused a sensation on Wednesday when be clocked one minute 42.51 seconds in the Nikaia Grand Prix meeting in the south of France, less than a second outside Sebastien Coe's 1:41.73 world record set in 1981.
"I am disappointed. I am in good shape and all my preparation has been for the Olympics and now I am not going," said Kipketer, who won the World championship for Denmark last year.
His time on Wednesday was the third fastest of all time. In 1985 Joachim Cruz of Brazil ran a 1:42.49.
