World record holder Haile Gebrselassie is set to pull out of the Olympic marathon later this year amid fears that air pollution in Beijing could damage his health.
The 34-year-old Ethiopian suffers from asthma and with air pollution expected to be a major issue at the Games, Gebrselassie may be forced to put his wellbeing before Olympic glory.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist's absence from the marathon would be a massive blow for Games organisers, especially after he set his world mark at the Berlin marathon in September last year.
Gebrselassie is however expected to chase a third gold medal in the shorter 10,000 metres.
The Ethiopian tasted success in the 10,000m at Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000, before finishing fifth in Athens four years ago.
Fears regarding the air quality in Beijing have been a key issue on the agenda ahead of the Olympic Games, which begin in August.
© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.
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