Swimming-Tunisian double gold medallist to ‘boycott’ Tokyo Games

July 20 (Reuters) – Tunisia’s double Olympic swimmming gold medallist Oussama Mellouli has introduced his worldwide retirement, saying he had determined to “boycott” Tokyo regardless of qualifying for his sixth Video games.

The 37-year-old gained 1,500m gold within the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the open-water marathon in London 4 years later, when he additionally claimed a 1,500m bronze medal within the pool. He certified for Tokyo at an occasion in Portugal in June.

“After a month of struggling, I lose all hope of reconciliation or of profitable my case. So I made a decision to retire from worldwide competitions and boycott the Tokyo Video games,” he posted on Instagram.

Mellouli didn’t give particulars however media experiences referenced a long-running authorized dispute with the Tunisian swimming federation.

Competing in Tokyo would have made Mellouli, who in Beijing beat Australia’s Grant Hackett to grow to be Tunisia’s first gold medallist in almost half a century, solely the fourth swimmer to compete in six Video games.

He was already the primary swimmer to win gold in each the pool and open water.

The Tunisian had deliberate to retire in 2020 however delayed that call when the Tokyo Olympics had been postponed a 12 months as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.

Mellouli was suspended for 18 months in 2007 after a constructive dope take a look at for the banned substance Adderall.

Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, modifying by Ed Osmond

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.