ADDIS ABABA, March 10: Marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie said on Monday he would not compete in the Olympic marathon because of fears that Beijing’s air pollution would damage his health.

The Ethiopian runner, who suffers from asthma, said he would still compete in the shorter 10,000 metres event in the August Games.

“The pollution in China is a threat to my health and it would be difficult for me to run 42 km in my current condition,” he said.

“But I am not pulling out of the Olympic event in Beijing all together. I plan to participate in the 10,000 m event,” he added.

Pollution is a major issue facing Beijing in the run-up to the Games.

IOC chief Jacques Rogge said last year that events such as the marathon could be rescheduled if contingency measures did not have the desired effect.

Gebrselassie called on China to deal with the problem, saying that pollution “would be a hazard to athletes, seriously affecting their performances.”

Dube Jillo, an official of the Ethiopian Athletic Federation, said as far as his federation was concerned, Haile was expected to compete in Beijing.—Reuters