KINGSTON, Jamaica – THREE-TIME Olympic gold medalist sprinter Usain Bolt has repeated his intention to be absent from the 2010 Commonwealth Games, which are scheduled to be held in New Dehli, India from October 3-14.
Bolt’s coach Glen Mills confirmed over the weekend that he would not be allowing his star athlete to compete at this year’s top track and field competition.
“Bolt made it known long ago that he is not going to the Commonwealth Games,” Mills said to TrackAlerts.
Though Bolt has been out of competition recently due to a strained Achilles tendon, Mills clarified that the injury had nothing to do with the decision. Instead, he noted that the hosting of the Commonwealth Games comes far too late in the season and Bolt would be using that time to prepare for the 2011 World Championships.
“It was not part of our schedule. The time would be when he would be doing his background training for next year's world championships,” Mills stated.
Organizers for the games have implied in recent weeks that Bolt’s resistance has been over appearance fees of upwards of US $1 million, which they have said they would be willing to pay to have him there.
However, Bolt’s manager Ricky Simms was quoted by TrackAlerts on Sunday (June 20) as saying that he has had no dialogue with the organizers in India.
“If coach Mills said he is not going, then I would not even start negotiation,” Simms said.
Many other top Jamaican athletes, such as Sherri-Ann Fraser and Yohan Blake, are also in doubt for the Commonwealth Games for the same reason as Bolt, but the organizers have remained optimistic that they can buy appearances from top names.
Mills stated that Bolt would also be absent from the upcoming Jamaican National Championships, though he is scheduled to make a July 8 appearance for the 200m at the Lausanne Diamond League.
