Off the wire
Roundup: U.S. aid money for post-quake Haiti reconstruction poorly managed: investigation  • U20 World Cup collated results  • Iran vows removal of "oppressive" sanctions to revive economy  • News Analysis: Cuba-U.S. ties resumption on hold  • Double Olympic champion Mo Farah out of Birmingham Diamond League  • (Sports)Thailand's Intanon prospers in women's single final at Indonesia Open  • Indians aspire to see their "Yao Ming" in NBA  • Xinhua Insight: World classics in the spotlight of China's children's theater  • Hungarian president, Chinese FM meet on ties  • China likely to lower oil price  
You are here:   Home

(Sports Focus) Double Olympic champion Mo Farah out of Birmingham Diamond League (updated)

Xinhua, June 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

Double Olympic champion Mo Farah announced to pull out of the IAAF Birmingham Diamond League just hours before the meet kicks off at the Alexander Stadium at Britain's second largest city.

"This week has been very stressful and taken a lot out of me," he said in the statement on Sunday.

"I have not been able to focus properly on today's race and after the events of the last few days feel emotionally and physically drained.

"I want to run well in the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Beijing and have decided it is better for me to go back to the US, seek answers to my questions and get back into training.

"I apologize to the people who bought tickets to come and watch me race and ask for your understanding at this time."

The 32-year-old has been angry after his name was linked with "doping scandals" in the Panorama program broadcast on BBC One on Wednesday.

It was alleged his coach Alberto Salazar had been involved in doping by giving banned drugs to United States 10,000m record holder Galen Rupp in 2002 when the athlete was 16 years old.

Rupp is still Farah's training partner.

Farah, who won 5,000m and 10,000m gold at the 2012 London Olympics, said on Saturday that the allegations against his coach had affected his preparation for Sunday's race.

"My reputation is getting ruined. You guys are killing me," he told reporters. "I'm a clean athlete. I'm against drugs 100% and believe anyone caught should be banned for life." Enditem