London 2012 Olympics: Kim Collins fails to run in 100m after fall-out over meeting his wife

Published on 05/08/2012 00:14

Former world champion Kim Collins failed to appear for his heat in the Olympic 100m yesterday having vowed never to run for St Kitts & Nevis again following an apparent fall-out with his country’s Games officials.

The 36-year-old, who won his world title in 2003 and carried his country’s flag at the opening ceremony, was due to appear at his fifth Olympics, but was marked as “DNS” (Does not start) in the final heat of the day’s first qualifying round for today’s 100m final.

Earlier in the day he tweeted: “My fans. I won’t lie. Won’t be running later tonight. For those who saw me run in Mexico, that’s the last time I represent my country.”

Local media reported that Collins had fallen out with his country’s officials over a visit from his wife and he hinted as much yesterday.

“Even men in prison get their wives to visit,” he tweeted.

“The NOC of St Kitts & Nevis has not seen or heard from Kim Collins for the last three days,” the NOC’s general secretary Alphonso Bridgewater told reporters. “We are unaware of his whereabouts.”

Collins finished seventh in the 2000 Olympic final and sixth in 2004, but with a season’s best of 10.05 seconds was unlikely to feature in Sunday’s final. St Kitts & Nevis sprinter Tameka Williams was sent home last week by her team for a potential drug violation.

Meanwhile, hammer thrower Marina Marghieva of Moldova has been withdrawn from the Games after she tested positive for doping.

The Moldovan Olympic Committee said it removed Marghieva from the team after the governing body of athletics, the IAAF, notified that she failed a drug test before the Games.

The Olympic body says the 26-year-old athlete’s back-up sample will be tested to confirm a doping violation. The substance was not identified.

Marghieva was due to compete in her second Summer Games in the qualification round on Wednesday.

In addition, Colombian 400m runner Diego Palomeque has been provisionally suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after failing a drugs test.

The 18-year-old was due to run in the 400m heats yesterday.