IAAF under fire from Botswana over Isaac Makwala withdrawal

The governing body of athletics, the IAAF, should be used to having defend its decisions by now.

However, this time the furore is not over doping or record stripping – it is all over a tummy bug.

The IAAF withdrew one of the favourites for the 200m and 400m races in the World Championships in London, the Botswana national Isaac Makwala.

The 30-year-old was quarantined for 48 hours after vomiting in a hotel medical room. It is believed around 30 athletes and support staff have contracted a norovirus, forcing the IAAF to attempt to contain the contagion.

However, Botswana officials claim the decision to withdraw their athlete from the 400m final was not communicated to them and they only found out when Makwala was turned away at the entrance gate by security.

The IAAF maintains they contacted the team and have followed the correct procedure for such an incident.