Mo Farah will not compete for Team England at the Commonwealth Games after withdrawing from the Glasgow event due to illness, STV Sports reports.
The double Olympian had previously confirmed he would participate in the competition despite struggling with his preparations, but has now pulled out having failed to make a full recovery.
Farah said: “The event is coming a few weeks too soon for me as my body is telling me it’s not ready to race
“Sickness I had two weeks ago was a big setback. Training is better but I need another few weeks to get back to level I was at in 2012.”
The long distance runner had been training hard at his altitude base in Font Romeu in a bid to be fit for the Games, but they have come too soon.
The 5,000m final takes place on the first evening of the athletics programme at Hampden Park on Sunday, but Farah will not be involved.
“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 & 2013,” he added.
“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 .”
Team England chef de mission Jan Paterson said: “It is a real blow for any athlete to miss out on a major championships through injury, but to have fought so hard to regain full fitness and to have to take such a difficult decision at this stage is particularly hard.”
The athlete was one of the stars of the 2012 London Olympics, claiming victory in the 5000m and 10,000m events.
However, the 31-year-old has struggled with illness and injury in the run-up to the Games, collapsing during the London Marathon in May after completing the race in a time of two hours and eight minutes.
Farah’s withdrawal is another blow to Glasgow 2014 organisers, who have already seen other high-profile stars like Chris Hoy, Jessica Ennis-Hill and Lee McConnell pull out.
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