By Ian Gordon, PA Sport, Sydney

Britain's decathlon legend Daley Thompson was at the centre of a drama in Sydney today that left successor Dean Macey's Olympic dream in tatters.

Macey's hopes of becoming the first Briton to win a medal in the 10-event competition since Thompson retained his title in Los Angeles in 1984 were dashed by the agonising margin of 28 points.

The 22-year-old smashed his personal best in the last event, the 1500 metres, to register a career-high total of 8,567 points when finishing fourth.

But the outcome had been determined in a jury room hours earlier after Thompson advised eventual winner Erki Nool to appeal against a decision to rule out one of his discus throws.

The Estonian, who ironically is coached by Thompson and also Macey's own coach Greg Richards, looked to have fallen out of contention after failing to register a score in the second event this morning.

Nool initially had his throw of 43.66 metres given the all clear by the field judges but it was then ruled illegal by the referee after he watched television replays.

Thompson, watching from the stands in his role as a commentator, advised the Estonians they had grounds for appeal because not all of Nool's foot was over the line.

The appeal proved successful, with a British counter protest dismissed by the jury of appeal, and Nool grabbed the lifeline to move up from fourth overall to snatch gold in the final event.

Josef Obermuller, a physiotherapist with the Estonian team, said: "Daley is his coach and he could see clearly what had happened.

"First he saw it with his own eyes and then television replays assured him. He told our head official and we made sure that the protests were rejected.

"The rule is simple, you cannot have your foot outside the circle. But if your foot is in the circle, even if it is above the lip, it is not a foul. That is what happened with Erki and we argued strongly that it wasn't a foul."

Nool added: "The protests wasted a lot of my energy. I don't know how involved Daley was behind the scenes, he just told me to concentrate on my next event and I put it behind me."

Richards, a former British international decathlete, insisted it was his decision to appeal.

"I'm gutted Dean did not get a medal. But as Erki's coach I thought it necessary we should appeal," he said.

"I went with the Estonian team management to lodge it. If it had been Dean I would have done the same thing. We presented our appeal and left it to the powers that be to sort it out."

Macey was frustrated after missing out on a medal but insisted he harboured no grudges to Nool, who had trained with the British youngster on Queensland's Gold Coast before the Games.

"It does not bother me at all. He is the Olympic champion" said Macey, who had seen one of his throws ruled a foul from the earlier discus group.

"I was not in the stadium when it happened, I was having my dinner. When I got back I'd heard about all the appeals that had gone on. That's what the management are there for, trying to help me win a medal.

"I'd had a foul ruled out earlier when I felt nothing. Perhaps it's the luck of the Estonians!"

But Britain's team management believe Macey has been denied a medal to add to the silver he won at last year's World Championships in Seville.

Head coach Max Jones said: "I am gutted for Dean because he should have had a medal. It was a clearly a foul. The replays show he was over by a couple of inches.

"I think the athlete and his team management put pressure on the referee to change his decision."

Macey, who was second overnight just eight points adrift of America's Chris Huffins, set two more personal bests today to take his total to four over the two days.

The former Canvey Island lifeguard bettered the points total he set in Spain by 11, but despite another gutsy run in the 1500m it was just not enough to overhaul Huffins as he did last year.

Macey shattered his best by six seconds but Huffins also dragged out an improvement from his aching limbs to hold on to third place having gone into the event clinging to the lead he had established at the start.

"I said before the Games that if I finished fourth or fifth and set a personal best I'd be happy, but I feel as sick as a dog," said Macey.

"I went into the 1500m thinking I had a good chance of the medal. I was told I had to run four minutes 20 or something in the 1500m and I did it, smashing my personal best, but it just wasn't enough.

"I am fourth and there are only three people in the world better than me. That's not bad, but I wanted that medal. But give me a couple of days and I will be a lot happier."

Macey, who has not competed in a decathlon since Seville after a year disrupted by injuries, added: "I am really pleased with my performance except for the throws.

"My shot, javelin and discus were off and you cannot expect to be an Olympic champion throwing like that.

"But time is on my side. Come 2004 in Athens and as long as I am fighting fit then I will be the man."

Macey, who set personal bests in the long jump and 400m yesterday, also produced the performance of his career in the pole vault today when he sailed over 4.60m.

But he lost ground in the throws and the 110m hurdles where he was last in his heat in a rain-hit Olympic Stadium to slip from his overnight position of second.

Nool, who needed to beat Huffins by less than three seconds to be sure of gold, did so comfortably as he finished nine seconds ahead of the New Yorker.

The 30-year-old eventually finished with 8,641 points to beat Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic, who also overhauled Huffins in the last event, by 35 points.

Nool said: "Dean was very unlucky. He did a great job. We were talking before the javelin and I told him I will be the Olympic champion and you can win the next two.

"I didn't think I fouled in the discus. I didn't feel anything when I put my foot down."

Tomas Dvorak of the Czech Republic finished sixth after struggling with injury to complete a miserable double for the reigning multi-event world champions.

France's Eunice Barber failed to finish the heptathlon won in glorious fashion by Britain's Denise Lewis.