DIANE MODAHL is to sue the British Athletic Federation for compensation over her fight to clear her name of a doping offence.

She launched High Court proceedings yesterday, claiming she faces financial ruin after being "betrayed" by the federation. But the federation said that they would contest the action "vigorously".

Modahl will be seeking a six-figure sum. She and husband-coach Vicente have spent more than £100,000 on their fight - a figure cushioned by a book published last year.

The former Commonwealth 800 metres champion appealed - unsuccessfully - to the BAF to pay her costs after being cleared of a doping offence by their appeals panel last July. It overturned a four-year ban imposed by a BAF disciplinary hearing following a positive drugs test in Lisbon in June 1994.