The Commonwealth Games were dealt a huge blow Thursday when England’s double Olympic and world champion Mo Farah announced he was withdrawing due to fitness concerns.
Farah, alongside Jamaican sprint star Usain Bolt, is one of the most recognisable faces of track and field, and his absence will be sorely missed.
“There’s no question that we’re disappointed,” admitted David Grevemberg, the chief executive of Glasgow 2014.
“Certainly there’ll be some disappointed people, but there’s plenty of great athletes that are coming and are here. We’re looking forward to welcoming people to some great competition over the next few days and when the athletics kicks off on Sunday.”
Farah, the 5,000 and 10,000 metres Olympic and world champion, was recently laid low by illness and has decided to pull out of the Commonwealths to work on his fitness ahead of next month’s European Championships in Zurich.
“I have taken the tough decision to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games,” Farah, 31, said in a statement released by Team England.
“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. Best wishes to my fellow athletes in Glasgow.”