March 15, 2008

Ethopia's athletics federation says world record holder Haile Gebrselassie cannot opt out of the Beijing Olympics marathon and must follow Ethiopian sports rules.

Gebrselassie, who suffers from exercise-related asthma, says he won't run the marathon because he feared Beijing's air pollution was a threat to his health.

The International Olympic Committee said his withdrawal was fully justified and that no one could force him to compete but the Ethiopian Athletics Federation says the decision was not his to make.