BBC Athletics
Gatlin to miss Lausanne meeting
Gatlin will not race in Europe until the end of the month
World and Olympic 100m champion Justin Gatlin has pulled out of Tuesday’s Golden League meeting in Lausanne with a knee injury.
America’s joint world record holder is not set to race again until the end of the month.
Lausanne organisers are instead hoping to sign his fellow record holder Asafa Powell, who has twice run 9.77 seconds.
“He will decide on Monday morning but I am 90% sure he will run,” said organiser Jacky Delapierre.
Powell ran 9.85secs to win the Paris Golden League meeting on Saturday, and accused Gatlin of trying to avoid him after the American sprinter withdrew from the event.
The Jamaican’s agent Paul Doyle said Powell has to be sure he is 100% fit before committing to Tuesday’s race.
“It depends how he feels. He is often tired after a race and he has to be careful with his groin,” said Doyle.
Powell’s groin problem forced him out of last year’s World Championships in Finland, where Gatlin did a 100m and 200m double.
The pair are still due to meet in Crystal Palace on 28 July in an eagerly anticipated match-up, their first since the same meeting a year ago when Powell pulled up with his groin strain.