“Especially when those who have rightfully qualified are prevented from competing by British Athletics. This is disappointing and makes young athletes hesitant to make the sacrifices required to reach this level. If this continues I truly believe it will be the end for athletics in our country – or at least for the field events.”

UKA says high standards drive performance – but athletes disagree

There is also a sense that the policy has seen people in field events face disproportionately high demands. A time of 9.94sec was needed to reach the men’s 100m final in Paris, for example, and yet the UKA Olympic standard is 10.02sec. Similarly, the men’s 400 m had a qualifying standard of 45.00 sec when 44.41 sec was actually needed to reach the final. A significant number of track athletes did not reach individual finals but did great success in the relay raceswhich accounted for half of the medals, and very positive feedback for the work of head coach Paula Dunn.

UKA says the policy is designed to maximize top-eight finishes and medal chances. Many in British athletics fear it is having the diametrically opposite effect, especially when you consider the long-term impact and the missed experience of younger athletes such as Norris, Purchase and Kenneth Ikeji who, at 21, have already thrown a distance which is the third best hammer result in British history and would have finished sixth in Paris.

“Certainly Team GB should take the whole team that gets their Olympic invite rather than ruin a number of athletes’ Olympic dreams,” said Darren Steer, a former thrower who acts as an agent for Norris on an unpaid basis. “Most other countries will take as many people as possible. Our kids say, ‘Where are the GB athletes?’ It is a tragic injustice.

“People see what’s happening and become disillusioned. People are walking away from the sport.

“I love the sport – I really want it to succeed but it needs a change.”

Norris said he was initially angry about the situation and, like any affected athlete, would have found a way to self-fund his participation if cost was the issue. “My whole family would have gone,” he said. “I love the sport – it’s not a career choice.”