The "long-running saga" of Mo Farah's attendance at the Commonwealth Games was "finally resolved this morning when the double Olympic and world champion confirmed that he would not be competing in Glasgow," according to Ron Lewis of the LONDON TIMES. Farah, 31, spent two days in hospital in the U.S. after "being struck down with abdominal pains." He tweeted last week from his altitude training camp in France that he would "still compete in the Commonwealth Games." That hope "lasted until this morning, when it was announced that he would not compete in Glasgow but would instead stay in training for the European Championships in Zurich next month." Farah said in a statement, "I have taken the tough decision to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games. The sickness I had two weeks ago was a big setback for me" (LONDON TIMES, 7/24). The BBC reported Farah's decision "is another setback to the Games after a number of key withdrawals in athletics events." Jamaican Yohan Blake, Olympic Silver Medalist at London 2012 in the 100m and 200m, "was ruled out because he needed a hamstring operation and England's Katarina Johnson-Thompson withdrew from the women's heptathlon on Monday with a foot injury." 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 is particularly hard." BBC Sport athletics pundit Steve Cram said, "It's hugely disappointing for Mo and the event" (BBC, 7/24). In Glasgow, David McCarthy wrote Glasgow 2014 CEO David Grevemberg admitted that "Farah's absence was a blow." Grevemberg: "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" (Scotland DAILY RECORD, 7/24).
