Livingstone claims Christie's Olympic torch invite 'sent by mistake'

Just 24 hours after it emerged that the 1992 Olympic 100m gold medal winner had been asked to be one of 80 torch bearers - despite serving a life ban from the Olympics following a failed drugs test in 1999 - the Greater London Authority claimed today that Christie would not do so because he had not been asked.

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However, Christie's agent Sue Barrett denied this, saying: "I have a letter [of invitation] in front of me signed by Ken Livingstone.

"It says: 'I would be delighted if you would consider being one of our torch bearers, joining with us and up to 80 other well known personalities, who will each carry the torch for 250m.'"

Within minutes, a GLA spokesman had issued a fresh statement, denying that the invitation had come directly from Livingstone.

The statement said: "Linford Christie has made it clear he will not be participating in the torch relay.

"Inaccurate reports have appeared claiming that the Mayor invited Linford Christie to participate. That decision was not taken by the Mayor but by officials and was a mistake. The Mayor merely issued letters to those they had decided to invite as a formality.

"The Mayor himself had the right to nominate five torchbearers. Linford Christie was not one of them."

Barrett had already revealed that timing would have made it difficult for Christie to have been in London for arrival of the Olympic torch on 6 April.

"While he'd be happy to be involved, it does clash with the period when he is out of the country doing warm-weather training with his athletes," she said.

"While it would be lovely, it would be difficult due to timing."

The Olympic torch will travel the world during the build-up to this year's Games in Beijing.

And the GLA has confirmed the names of three of the 80 bearers - Kelly Holmes, newscaster Sir Trevor McDonald and actress Amara Khan.

Christie, who clinched the 1992 Olympic 100m title in Barcelona, is the only Briton to win 100m gold medals at Olympic, World, Commonwealth and European Championship levels.

However, since his ban Olympic authorities have distanced themselves from Christie, now 47.

Christie is planning to be in Beijing in his role as coach to 200m specialist Christian Malcolm.

But so far the BOA has reiterated that its ban on Olympic accreditation for Christie remains in place and he will not be permitted access to the Olympic Villages or the trackside, either in Beijing or London in 2012.