Track star Kyle Langford apologised last night for appearing to grab an official by the throat at a track meeting on Saturday.
Images on social media show the reigning Commonwealth 800m silver medalist in an altercation at the BMC event in Watford.
Langford responded furiously to being shown a red card for completing a 200m warm-up sprint while the 5,000m was taking place.
The 23-year-old owned up to letting “myself and my support team down by reacting angrily” and vowed “never to repeat this behaviour”.
He tweeted: “I allowed pre-race tension to get to me too much and my behaviour fell well short of what it should be.
“I have apologised to the official involved and have also followed up in writing, but I know that this wasn’t acceptable and I apologise that I behaved in that way.”
Dina Asher-Smith had to make do with third in her latest 200m race at the Prefontaine Classic in California yesterday.
The European champion ran 22.42secs to beat world gold medalist Dafne Schippers but finished behind surprise winner Blessing Okagbare.
Zharnel Hughes matched his season’s best of 9.97s to take third in the men’s 100m, behind Christian Coleman, with a world lead 9.81s.
The young American’s win confirmed his status as favourite to succeed Justin Gatlin as world champion this autumn.
But Gatlin showed he has no intention of giving up his title without fight, by taking second place in 9.87s - at the age of 38.
Laura Muir (3:59.47) went one better than Britain’s sprint duo in the women’s 1500m, leading off the final bend before being outsprinted to the line by Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon.
Elsewhere, Caster Semenya stormed to her 31st consecutive 800m victory in 1:55.70 in what could be her last race over the distance.
Athletics’ world governing body has appealed against an order allowing the South African to temporarily compete without taking testosterone-reducing medication. The judgement is due today.
