Sports
World Challenge organisers 'perplexed' by Gatlin's withdrawal
Beijing, May 20
The organisers of the World
Challenge Series here said on Wednesday they were "perplexed" by reports
claiming that star sprinter Justin Gatlin was "kicked out" of the
event.
Gatlin's manager Renaldo Nehemiah said on Tuesday that
Gatlin was "kicked out" by the organisers after telling them of an
injury concern, reports Xinhua.
Gatlin's name was missing from
Wednesday night's 100 metres start list and the American, who has served
two doping bans, said he left for the airport to fly home to Florida
because he was "upset" by the lack of respect shown to him. But on
Wednesday, he tweeted that he was "fine" with the organisers.
"Emotional
day. All is fine with Beijing Org&me. We have a great relationship
and I look forward to being there in Aug for worlds&next year for
the meet," he posted on Twitter.
Beijing organisers said they did
not understand why Nehemiah failed to communicate with them before he
announced Gatlin's withdrawal.
"Nehemiah did not communicate with
us before he announced Gatlin's withdrawal at yesterday's news
conference. And we never got to speak with Gatlin in person," said Liu
Jie, deputy director of the organising committee.
"We had been
preparing the event assuming Gatlin would run the race. There was no way
we 'kicked out' the athlete. So we have been perplexed by what they
said."