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Gebreselassie drops out of games

Fears over pollution at the Beijing Olympic Games have caused one of the world's greatest long distance runners to drop out of the marathon.

Marathon world record holder Haile Gebreselassie will avoid competing in the event, although he will still run in the 10,000 metre race.

The 34-year-old Ethiopian athlete told Reuters: "The pollution in China is a threat to my health and it would be difficult for me to run 42 kilometres."

Gebreselassie, who has exercise-induced asthma, fears that completing the event in polluted conditions could worsen the condition and prevent him from achieving his dream of being the first to run a marathon in two hours and three minutes.

In September last year, he set the marathon world record of two hours four minutes and 26 seconds after running in Berlin.

The drop-out of Gebreselassie comes as China attempts to convince the world that air pollution will not be an issue at the upcoming Olympics.

The Washington Post has reported that the government will run a compensation scheme for drivers it forces off the roads during the games in efforts to lower smog levels.

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