World 3,000 metres steeplechase champion Wilson Boit Kipketer has been forced to withdraw from Saturday's County Durham International cross country after failing to renew his visa to enter Great Britain.

The Kenyan agreed terms for the meeting, organisers presuming there would be no immigration problems, following his appearance in Madrid before Christmas and plans to run again in Spain on New Year's Eve.

But yesterday Boit Kipketer's manager sent a fax to race director Nigel Gough saying the runner had forgotten to renew his visa.

Gough has reacted angrily, saying: "It's embarrassing for everyone, the athlete, his management team and even ourselves, although we have no direct control over the system.

"Perhaps in the future we will insist on agents faxing a photocopy of their runners' passports showing their visas are in date."

Gough denied Boit Kipketer had pulled out of the meeting as a result of former Olympic 10,000 metre gold medallist Khalid Skah being given a late entry.