Athletics: Tax rules Usain Bolt out of London race

Usain Bolt won't compete at next month's Crystal Palace Diamond League meeting because of British tax rules.

Speaking at a news conference ahead of Friday's Areva meeting scheduled at the Stade de France, the Olympic and world champion in the 100 and 200 metres said he decided to skip the event after his agent informed him he would lose money by competing in London.

Bolt's agent Ricky Simms said the British tax law stipulates that foreign sports stars have to pay taxes on their worldwide endorsements, a situation that "in has kept a lot of the big stars away from Britain".

Simms didn't say how much Bolt would have been paid by competing in London.

Meanwhile, Jamaica has dissolved the board of directors of its Anti-Doping Commission. Jamaica Olympic Association President Mike Fennell said all 15 members were fired by the Caribbean nation's sports minister.

Fennell said yesterday that the decision was part of a restructuring and was unrelated to a recent positive test for Olympic and world 100 metres champion Shelly-Ann Fraser. Fennell was quoted as saying that the decision was based on a review by the World Anti-Doping Agency that raised concerns about conflicts of interest for panel members who also lead sports associations on the island.