Quadruple Olympic gold medallist Chris Hoy has withdrawn from this year's Commonwealth Games because of a clash with the European championships, which carry Olympic qualification points, organisers said on Friday.
"Olympic and Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Sir Chris Hoy, has today confirmed to Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) that he is no longer available for selection for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October," CGS said on their website (www.cgcs.org.uk).
"A late clash of events with the new European Championships means that he is now required by British Cycling to compete as part of the Great Britain Sprint Team, in order to qualify for the Olympic Games in London 2012."
The new European championships do not yet have a confirmed date or venue but, following changes to the Olympic programme that will limit the number of riders to one from each country per event and the number of European teams allowed to race in the team sprint, they have become an essential qualifier.
Michael Cavanagh, chairman of CGS said: "First and foremost we are bitterly disappointed for Chris himself. He is a fantastic supporter of Team Scotland, competing and winning medals in three Commonwealth Games and he is an inspirational ambassador for Scottish sport. Nobody will be more disappointed than him, not to be in Delhi wearing the Scottish jersey.
"He has been placed in a no-win situation by the UCI (International Cycling Union) and British Cycling with their late decision and we fully appreciate that he must meet his Olympic qualification obligations.
"His passion, attitude and commitment on and off the bike has already stimulated a new generation of Scottish cyclists coming through for Delhi and beyond."
HIGH STANDARD
Hoy told the Guardian newspaper: "It's with great sadness and reluctance that I've had to tell the Scottish team that I won't be seeking selection for the Delhi games. But it wasn't a decision I had to make in the end: it's one that's been forced on me by the nature of the qualification process for the London Olympics.
"The Olympics has to take precedence over everything," added the Scot who won Commonwealth gold in the 2002 one-km time trial and 2006 team sprint.
"I could turn up at the Commonwealth Games in October but it'd hamper my preparation for the European championships. And I wouldn't be at 100 percent. The standard at the Commonwealth Games is so high that 95 percent wouldn't be good enough, and it would be disrespectful to the event and the Scottish team."
Dave Brailsford, performance director of British Cycling, added: "This new European championship will affect everybody with Olympic ambitions.
"The problem we have is one of prioritisation. The timing has put a lot of athletes in a difficult and unenviable position. For most of the top level guys, including Chris, their main aim is the Olympics."
Hoy's withdrawal is a further blow to the October 3-14 Commonwealth Games following the announcement last month that Jamaica's triple Olympic athletics sprint champion Usain Bolt would not be taking part.
