article: Media playback is not supported on this device Paula Radcliffe, Jonathan Edwards and Colin Jackson are among "collateral damage" says European Athletics taskforce chair Pierce O'Callaghan. But he told BBC Radio 5 live: "There is a bigger picture out there." All pre-2005 records could be rewritten under the new rules, which need to be ratified by governing body, the IAAF. O'Callaghan said: "Apologies to the athletes, we never intended to damage their reputation and legacy. It is intended to give the public belief and credibility in what they are watching in the sport." It's going to affect everybody - and it lumps us all in with the cheats But BBC athletics commentator and former world 1500m champion Steve Cram called the proposals an "easy route out" and "a PR exercise". Cram set world records for the 1500m, mile and 2,000m in the space of 19 days in 1985, and still holds the European records for the latter two distances - although under the proposals those pre-2005 European records would join world records in being reset. He added that the measures are "not going to stop people cheating". Media playback is not supported on this device The IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) has only stored blood and urine samples since 2005 and current records that do not meet the new criteria would remain on an "all-time list", but not be officially recognised as records if the IAAF accepts the proposal. European Athletics president Hansen said he would encourage the IAAF to adopt the proposal at its August council meeting, while IAAF president Lord Coe said the changes were "a step in the right direction". The world records to fall would include Edwards' triple jump mark of 18.29m - set in 1995 - and Jackson's 1994 indoor 60m hurdles world best of 7.30secs, as well as Radcliffe's marathon time of two hours 15 minutes 25 seconds, set in 2003 using two male pacemakers. O'Callaghan compared the changes to English football introducing the Premier League above the First Division in 1992 and rugby union's Five Nations becoming the Six Nations in 2000, and said the records will be "recalibrated". "We hope people look at it in that vein, rather than stripping great athletes like Paula of their records," added O'Callaghan, who said he had spoken to Radcliffe and Edwards. "Unfortunately Paula ran her records in a golden period that happens to be two years before the technology moved on. "People should not look at Paula's records and throw them in with doping records - she achieved her performance, as did Jonathan, with 100% integrity. "This is about the bigger picture of reform in athletics and ensuring the public in events like the London World Championships [in August 2017], that they can believe what they are watching." Media playback is not supported on this device If the proposals are accepted by the IAAF, a world or European record would only be recognised if it meets all three of the following criteria: More than 100 Olympic athletes who competed at the 2008 and 2012 Games have
summary: British athletes who may lose their world records have received an apology from the man responsible for the controversial anti-doping proposal.