By Ian Gordon, PA Sport, Edmonton

Britain's Jo Pavey launched into a fierce attack on Olga Yegorova after seeing the tainted Russian runner become one of the most unpopular world champions of all time.

Yegorova, allowed to compete on a technicality after failing a drug test for the banned substance EPO, triumphed in the 5000 metres in Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium yesterday to a cat-call of jeers and boos.

The 29-year-old did not even bother to conduct a victory lap as she left the stadium to shouts of 'EPO - no no no'.

Pavey, who finished 11th, said: "I think this is the worst possible result we could have had.

"It's very disappointing for everyone in the race. I couldn't believe she had the nerve to step on the track when everyone knows she cheated.

"You know she is cheating so you know she has got an unfair advantage. It was a very bad situation that Yegorova was out there.

"But hopefully this will not happen again in the future. Once people are caught they will be banned.

"There are few technical things to sort out with the testing and they will have to sort them out otherwise it's a cheat charter.

"There was a lot of anger before the race and though you tried hard to focus on you own performance it was a strange event. It is just annoying when you train so hard but know someone else out there has got an unfair advantage."

Yegorova, eighth at last year's Olympics, was initially suspended after failing a test for the banned blood-boosting hormone EPO after a meeting in Paris last month.

But the IAAF, the sport's world governing body, was forced to reinstate her because the French only tested her urine and not a blood sample.

Yegorova has passed a drug test taken during the championships but that has left some observers unconvinced about her upturn in performance.

They include Romania's defending champion and Olympic gold medallist Gabriela Szabo, winner of the 1500m in Edmonton, who trailed home eighth having initially threatened to boycott the race.

"I like to win but I know how to lose and she is not the world champion," said Szabo. "I have no chance competing against robots, but I ran to show I was not afraid of the Russians."

Yegorova, who said she forgot about the victory lap, said: "I won the race fair and square on the track. One day you are top of the world, the other you are down and out. You know, sports is a strange animal.

"I have nothing against Szabo. She is a great athlete and I wish her all the best. I hold no grudges.

"I would not wish anybody - and I include my foes and enemies into that number - to live through what I have had to live through in the last few days.

"There were moments when I just thought I'd just forget about it all, drop it all and go home. Before practice, I was thinking 'Oh God, does it make any sense for me to go and practice at all'.

"But should I have come second or third to please the crowd? It's their personal business and their personal choice but I don't consider myself guilty."

Looking at her gold medal, Yegorova added: "It's just a piece of metal. If you want I can give it to you. The medal itself is not that important. Even winning the world championship is not as important as before.

"It's just sports, but life goes on. It's nice of course to win, don't get me wrong, but it's not what life is all about."

Britain's Kathy Butler, who would have made the final if Yegorova had been suspended, said: "I should have been out there. My place went to her and that is wrong."

Butler was part of a British protest before the race though this time there was no 'EPO cheats out' banner which 10,000m runner Paula Radcliffe had displayed before the heats.

Radcliffe, who flew home on Friday, had been forced to hand over the placard to security staff under threat of arrest.

Butler and several members of the coaching staff made no reference to drugs on their home-made posters which included the slogan 'Free Paula' and 'Go Jo'.

Yegorova won after a devastating finishing kick in 15 minutes 3.39 seconds from Spain's Marta Dominguez (15:06.59) with Ethiopia's Apelech Worku (15:10.17) third. Pavey clocked 15:28.41.

Yegorova met with more jeers when she received her gold medal before the final session of the eighth world championships began in the Commonwealth Stadium.

Silver medallist Dominguez was greeted with cheers from the crowd while Worku, who is part of the same management group as Szabo, did not attend the ceremony.