Dartford sprinter Adam Gemili withdraws from European Athletics Championships in Munich
Published: 08:32, 11 August 2022
Updated: 08:33, 11 August 2022
Dartford sprinter Adam Gemili has pulled out of next week's European Athletics Championships.
Gemili failed to make the British 100m and 200m squads for Munich, but was included in the 4x100m relay team. He will be replaced by Tommy Ramdhan.
Gemili's decision caps a disappointing summer after he failed to qualify from the 200m heats at the World Championships in Oregon before missing out on a place in the 200m final at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Earlier this month he also announced he has split from coach Rana Reider, who is under investigation for alleged sexual misconduct. Reider denies the allegations.
Gemili's decision to skip the Euros is not a surprise. Speaking after his defeat in Oregon he admitted the intense publicity surrounding Reider had affected him.
"There's been a lot of bad press around my set-up and me and it's been relentless," he told the BBC.
"Every week there's been something and it's just taken its toll, to be honest."
And at the Games last week he hinted he was already looking towards next season.
He said: “I know there have been issues with me this year, it has affected me. Physically I’m okay but there has been a lot which has affected my training and the mental side for me.
“That’s something which has been new this season and I’ve really struggled to get that right.
"I didn’t know how much of a difference it does really make. It’s for me to come home and find some happiness again.
“[I'll] start with surrounding myself with people I love and who love me. Hopefully that happiness does come, and you see the old Adam bounding down the track next season. Fingers crossed.”
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Richard Trevena