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| Commonwealth Games lament losing another name with Mo Farah no-show | Commonwealth Games lament losing another name with Mo Farah no-show |
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| Glasgow 2014 organisers have lamented a major blow to the Commonwealth Games with the withdrawal of Mo Farah through illness, claiming they are disappointed but can understand the double Olympic champion’s decision. | Glasgow 2014 organisers have lamented a major blow to the Commonwealth Games with the withdrawal of Mo Farah through illness, claiming they are disappointed but can understand the double Olympic champion’s decision. |
| Farah is the latest big name to have pulled out, announcing on Thursday morning that he would remain at his France training base instead of making the journey to Scotland to compete in the 5,000m and 10,000m, both disciplines in which he won gold at London 2012. | Farah is the latest big name to have pulled out, announcing on Thursday morning that he would remain at his France training base instead of making the journey to Scotland to compete in the 5,000m and 10,000m, both disciplines in which he won gold at London 2012. |
| The 31-year-old missed his last two races – the Glasgow Grand Prix at Hampden Park and the Anniversary Games in London – and was recently admitted to hospital in the US with abdominal pains. Team England confirmed his withdrawal and said the decision was particularly difficult for Farah because he had “fought so hard to regain full fitness”. | The 31-year-old missed his last two races – the Glasgow Grand Prix at Hampden Park and the Anniversary Games in London – and was recently admitted to hospital in the US with abdominal pains. Team England confirmed his withdrawal and said the decision was particularly difficult for Farah because he had “fought so hard to regain full fitness”. |
| It is the latest blow for organisers and Team England, with the heptathlete Katarina-Johnson Thompson pulling out earlier due to a foot injury. The cyclists Mark Cavendish and Becky James are also missing through injury and the Olympic 100m and 200m silver medallist, Yohan Blake, announced earlier that he would not compete. Dwain Chambers withdrew from England’s 4x100m team on Tuesday and with the heptathlete Jessica Ennis also absent after giving birth to a son last week, the long jump champion Greg Rutherford is the only member of Great Britain’s trio athletes who won gold on “Super Saturday” at London 2012. | It is the latest blow for organisers and Team England, with the heptathlete Katarina-Johnson Thompson pulling out earlier due to a foot injury. The cyclists Mark Cavendish and Becky James are also missing through injury and the Olympic 100m and 200m silver medallist, Yohan Blake, announced earlier that he would not compete. Dwain Chambers withdrew from England’s 4x100m team on Tuesday and with the heptathlete Jessica Ennis also absent after giving birth to a son last week, the long jump champion Greg Rutherford is the only member of Great Britain’s trio athletes who won gold on “Super Saturday” at London 2012. |
| Glasgow 2014’s chief executive, David Grevemberg, said: “There’s no question we’re disappointed that Mo Farah announced he would be withdrawing. We’re very disappointed for Mo. We knew how much he wanted to be here. I’m sure there will be some disappointed people, but there are plenty of great athletes who are here and will be competing.” | Glasgow 2014’s chief executive, David Grevemberg, said: “There’s no question we’re disappointed that Mo Farah announced he would be withdrawing. We’re very disappointed for Mo. We knew how much he wanted to be here. I’m sure there will be some disappointed people, but there are plenty of great athletes who are here and will be competing.” |
| A spokesman for the organising committee added: “We are really disappointed for Mo as we know how much he wanted to take part in the Games.” | A spokesman for the organising committee added: “We are really disappointed for Mo as we know how much he wanted to take part in the Games.” |
| It leaves Usain Bolt and David Rudisha as the stellar names that will grace the track at Hampden Park, with the athletics beginning on Sunday. Bolt will not compete in the individual 100m and instead lines up for Jamaica in the 4x100m. | It leaves Usain Bolt and David Rudisha as the stellar names that will grace the track at Hampden Park, with the athletics beginning on Sunday. Bolt will not compete in the individual 100m and instead lines up for Jamaica in the 4x100m. |
| Organisers will be keeping their fingers crossed that Bolt does not withdraw, but the sprinter’s agent Ricky Simms – who also represents Farah – confirmed to the Guardian on Thursday that there were “no changes to the scheduled plan” for the fastest man in the world. | Organisers will be keeping their fingers crossed that Bolt does not withdraw, but the sprinter’s agent Ricky Simms – who also represents Farah – confirmed to the Guardian on Thursday that there were “no changes to the scheduled plan” for the fastest man in the world. |
| It brings an end to a disappointing saga for Farah, who initially took some time to confirm that he was available for the Games. He will now attempt to recover in time for the European Championships in Zurich, which begin on 12 August. | |
| Farah said: “Training is getting better here in Font Romeu but I need another few weeks to get back to the level I was at in 2012 and 2013. I really wanted to add the Commonwealth titles to my Olympic and World Championships but the event is coming a few weeks too soon for me as my body is telling me it’s not ready to race yet.” | Farah said: “Training is getting better here in Font Romeu but I need another few weeks to get back to the level I was at in 2012 and 2013. I really wanted to add the Commonwealth titles to my Olympic and World Championships but the event is coming a few weeks too soon for me as my body is telling me it’s not ready to race yet.” |