Champion hurdler Jana Rawlinson hasn't fractured her relationship with Australia by considering running for Great Britain, Athletics Australia (AA) says.

England-based Rawlinson, a dual world 400 metres hurdles champion, reportedly discussed switching allegiance to Great Britain for the 2012 London Olympics, before ruling it out.

The matter further tests 27-year-old Rawlinson's already tetchy relationship with Australian officialdom, fellow athletes and fans.

AA's high performance manager Eric Hollingsworth said on Monday Sydney-born Rawlinson was distressed by initial reports on Sunday.

Hollingsworth attempted to quell the storm by saying there was never any danger of Rawlinson opting for Britain, scotching suggestions he talked Rawlinson out of switching allegiance to get a slice of greater financial support leading into the London Olympics.

"I didn't talk her out of it," Hollingsworth told AAP.

"It wasn't accurate.

"She's Australian and will be running for Australia."

News Ltd reported Rawlinson had raised the prospect of running for Great Britain with London Olympics boss Sebastian Coe but subsequently told Hollingsworth she was sticking with Australia.

Hollingsworth said Rawlinson's relationship with AA would not be affected.

"There is no fracture in the relationship," he said.

"Jana is quite distressed by the media approach to the rumours but ... Jana is Australian, she's got an Australian passport and she will remain an Australian.

"This is someone who spends an hour and a half painting her nails with the Australian flag - does that strike you as someone who's going to be leaving Australia?"

Rawlinson lives in England with her British husband Chris and applied for a British passport, an act which Hollingsworth says set the story in motion.

"She's over there living in the UK and she inquired about a British passport in terms of ease of movement around Europe and the European Union and competition and all those kind of things," Hollingsworth said.

"The fact of the matter is, once her body is healthy she will compete for Australia."

Asked if there was ever a danger the 2003 and 2007 world 400 metres hurdle champion would run for Britain, Hollingsworth replied: "No.

"You never know exactly but once I spoke to her, there was no issue from my end," he said.

Rawlinson hasn't run for Australia since late 2007 and is currently recovering from Achilles tendon surgery last month. But she remained a possibility of running for Australia at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi this October, Hollingsworth said.

"She is still a chance but that is not our number one priority, our number one priority is to get her fit and healthy and ready for the London Olympics," he said.

Steve Larkin
AAP