(25/07/2005)

Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj has pulled out of next month's World Championships in Athletics holding in Helsinki, Finland.

The double Olympic champion over 1500m and 5000m, who has not raced since he contracted a virus in May told l'Agence Marocaine de Presse (MAP) he will not be defending his World 1500m title.

It will be the first time that the 31-year-old, four-time World champion at 1500m, has been absent from the biennial IAAF world event since he took home the silver medal on his debut in Goteborg 1995.

El Guerrouj confirmed he will not race again this season, but plans to resume training in August and run again in 2006 before retiring from the sport.

He said: "I am sad and bitter to be absent for the first time from the World Championships, but I will be present in Helsinki to support my colleagues.

"My preparations had gone well until the end of June and I had aspirations at 5000m in Helsinki.

"I have hesitated in taking this decision until late, and have discussed it with the President of the National Olympic Committee, the President of the Federation, with my trainer, my family and my team.

"I have made enormous sacrifices and undergone many self sacrifices in defence of the Moroccan national colours since my participation in the 1992 World Junior championships in Seoul from where I took the bronze medal at 5000m, and I have always considered myself to have been a soldier at the service of my homeland."

El Guerrouj won the 1500m world titles in Athens 1997, Seville 1999, Edmonton 2001 and Paris 2003.

He also holds five world records: three outdoors records in 1,500m, 2,000m and the Mile and two indoors records in 1,500m and the Mile.

see also:

El Guerrouj wins gold

El Guerrouj's win streak ends

El Guerrouj bounces back