Brit gymnasts fear Delhi Belly, skip 2010 Games

New Delhi :

The British Gymnastics Federation has decided to pull its top athletes out of the Commonwealth Games.

This was reported in the UK on Wednesday in the Daily Telegraph. Its apparently not security or scheduling, but fear of a tummy bug that has forced this pull-out. The Daily Telegraph has quoted British Gymnastics' Performance Manager Eddie Van Hoof as saying "The potential for tummy bugs and diarrhoea exists. We cant afford to take the risk."

Incidentally, gymnastics events at the 2010 Commonwealth Games finish just three days before the Gymnatics World Championships in Rotterdam. This means that Britain's top gymnasts, that include world & olympic medal winners, will not be seen in action in Delhi.

However, Olympic Performance Director Tim Jones has said that 2012 is a priority for British Gymnastics.

"As with all Olympic Sports, the priority for British Gymnastics over the next 36 months, will be to qualify for, and compete with distinction at the 2012 Olympic Games. The qualification for this begins at the 2010 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Rotterdam. This does result in logistical issues as they are scheduled in extremely close proximity to the Commonwealth Games," said Tim Jones Olympic Performance Director.

"British Gymnastics will be looking to ensure that our long term goals of success in London will not be compromised, whilst at the same time ensuring that the Home Nations will be in a position to send strong Teams to compete at the Commonwealth Games."