UK Athletics performance director Dave Collins insists athletes were given a choice about competing at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh on Sunday despite it being Olympic year.

With one or two exceptions, the Norwich Union GB side - playing host to the the event for the third time in 13 years - contains development athletes who will benefit from the experience of competing at this level.

Big-names such as former champion Paula Radcliffe, 2006 European title winner Mo Farah, Jo Pavey, Mara Yamauchi and Kate Reed are all absentees for a variety of reasons, including injuries.

But Collins insisted none of runners he expects to be wearing a British vest in Beijing this summer were advised to sit out the championships as a precautionary measure.

That was the main reason why Farah decided not to risk running the race and possibly inflaming an old hamstring injury.

"Everything for me is geared up towards Beijing, and it would be easy to pick up a niggle or something, particularly on the hills there," said Farah, 10th in last year's race when he was Europe's leading finisher.

Collins explained that just as when the 2006 Commonwealth Games, World Indoor and Cross Country Championships were scheduled almost together, UK Athletics decided not to impose a selection policy on athletes.

"It's the athletes' call and it's understandable if some have decided to focus on the Olympics, while it is unfortunate because of injuries and a variety of reasons that others are not also not available," said Collins.

Reed, who led the British women to European team silver medals last December, actually wanted to compete but the selectors felt for fitness reasons she should not be risked.

Collins insisted: "There has been no compunction from us and we left it to the athletes and their coaches to make the decisions about taking part.

"We took no three-line whip in either direction."

Despite the blow to British ambitions, the meeting has attracted a huge entry from abroad and most eyes will be focused on Kenenisa Bekele as he bids to achieve a record sixth long-course victory.

The Ethiopian was expected to move ahead of Kenyan stars John Ngugi and Paul Tergat in last year's race in Mombasa, but suffered from a stomach complaint which caused him to drop out.

Now the Olympic 10,000metres gold medallist - who won a third successive BUPA Great Edinburgh International cross country crown at the venue in January - believes he can wrest it back from Zersnay Tadese.

Bekele said: "I'm coming in good shape, it is an excellent venue in terms of history, weather and atmosphere. I have a very good feeling with running cross country in Edinburgh."

With defending champion Lornah Kiplagat a non-starter, Tirunesh Dibaba is determined to notch a third victory after finishing runner-up to the Kenyan-born Dutch star 12 months ago.

But her team-mate Gelete Burka, like Bekele a three-time Edinburgh Cross winner, is determined she can spring a shock surprise on her more fancied partner after a good winter.

Burka, who was fourth in last year's race, said: "After winning the Edinburgh cross country, the Birmingham (3000m) indoors and the World Indoor 1500m bronze medal in Valencia, I feel I'm in good shape this year.

"On Sunday I will use the experience I have on this course and hope to achieve something good for my country and for me."

Kenya look set to claim an amazing 21st men's team title with the Ethiopian women predicted to make it seven wins in a row.

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