The list released by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) also confirms that the British women's 4x100m team, which was disqualified in the semi-finals of the European Athletics Championships at Helsinki last weekend when one of its runners went out of her lane, have not made the cut of the top 16 teams who will compete in London.

Despite their own failure to reach the European final after a failed baton exchange between lead-off runner Christian Malcolm and Dwain Chambers – both named yesterday in Britain's Olympic team – the Team GB men's sprint relay team are secure in fourth position under the IAAF rankings, behind Jamaica, the US and France.


The Netherlands (pictured above), who earned an unexpected victory in Helsinki over a French team which included double individual 100m champion Christophe Lemaitre, have squeezed in as the 16th and last qualifiers for London in the men's 4x100m.

In the men's 4x400m, the second team behind the US are South Africa, which will include double amputee Oscar Pistorius, who was a member of the squad which won world silver in Daegu last summer.

Britain's men's 4x400m team, silver medallists in Helsinki, are seventh in the rankings.

The British women's 4x400m relay team are ranked fourth behind the United States, Russia and Jamaica.

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