Olympic silver medallist Katarina Johnson-Thompson and fellow England sprinter Dina Asher-Smith are among high-profile athletes who withdraw from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Multiple outlets report the call-offs occur on the day of the opening ceremony, creating a setback for England’s athletics team and for the Games’ organisers.
BBC News says Johnson-Thompson pulls out because of injury, while the other reports describe the withdrawals more generally as late absences. In addition to Johnson-Thompson and Asher-Smith, other England athletics athletes cited as withdrawing include Matthew Hudson-Smith and Daryll Neita. Yahoo Sports and the Irish Mirror also note that nine members of the England athletics contingent are withdrawing overall.
Across the coverage, the withdrawals are presented as a major blow to the competition’s medal hopes, particularly given the status of Johnson-Thompson and Asher-Smith as prominent British athletes. The reports agree on the central facts: Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games athletics are affected by multiple England call-offs, announced at short notice around the opening ceremony.
