French athletics bosses failed yesterday to have Jamaican longjump finalist James Beckford, one of the first athletes to benefit from the IAAF's new policy on drug bans, thrown out of the World Championships.

The French appealed against the 22-year-old 1995 silver medallist being allowed to take part despite the IAAF's decision to end the three-month ban for athletes caught taking stimulants. However, the appeal jury told the French it was not within their powers to take a decision on such a matter.

The IAAF announced at their congress last week that athletes would only get a public warning for the first offence and a ban if caught a second time. Beckford, who also took silver in Atlanta last year, tested positive in Paris in June and was half way through his suspension, but the change of rules allowed him to compete here.