Ok, not quite a punch up but it might yet
www.guardian.co.uk
Campbell confronts critic Johnson
David Plummer
Friday August 27, 2004
The Guardian
The rancour between the British sprinter Darren Campbell and the BBC's athletics analyst Michael Johnson spilled into a heated confrontation in an Athens nightclub on Wednesday night.
Campbell's manager Sue Barrett yesterday alleged that Johnson accused the sprinter of lying over a hamstring injury that Campbell blamed for his failure to qualify for the finals of either the 100 or 200 metres in Athens.
Campbell, angered by comments made by the five-times Olympic gold medallist while summarising on BBC, confronted him at a party hosted by MTV.
Barrett said: "Darren told him [Johnson] 'I'm not happy about what you've been saying about me' and Johnson replied 'That's my opinion.' When Darren said 'Let's get this straight. Are you saying I've been lying about my injury?' Johnson responded 'Yes'. Then he walked away."
The row started when Johnson told British viewers after Campbell failed to qualify from his 200m semi-final: "No one's ever questioned he's a great athlete but he's obviously not in shape right now. So why not just say that? Everyone will respect that. But when you pull a hamstring you're out for six weeks, you can't run.
"After the second round, I felt bad for Darren coming off the track, wincing. But then he said, 'I'm going to run the semi-final'. I felt like I'd been taken advantage of as a viewer and supporter of Darren."
The British athletics team doctor Bryan English said: "What has been said is totally unfair. Obviously, he [Johnson] has not done his homework because his comments are very odd, disrespectful and misinformed. The record has to be put straight."