LONDON (AP) — Former 100-meter world champion Kim Collins of St. Kitts and Nevis was missing for several days before he was expelled by his team from the London Olympics, a team official said Sunday.
Dennis Knight, vice president of the Caribbean country’s Olympic committee, said Collins left the athletes village Wednesday to meet his wife and after that was not in touch in time to be confirmed Friday for the 100 heats.
Collins was kicked out by the team on Saturday.
“He never properly reported back to camp,” Knight told The Associated Press on Sunday. He said Collins missed practice and did not respond when management and couch tried to get in touch with him.
“I would consider it really non-communicative,” he said.
Collins has said he was punished for spending time with his wife, who helped coach him. He said he found the athletes village stressful and needed peace and quiet before racing.
Knight said the wife had “nothing to do with the reasons for our action.”
The sanction meant the 2003 world champion, who carried the St. Kitts and Nevis flag at the opening ceremony, could not compete in his fifth straight Olympics. He was also entered in the 200 and 4×100 relay.
Knight said after the games there will be an investigation to “find out what perhaps was really going on.”
“Kim is a super icon for us. He is the one sportsperson that really stands out,” Knight said. “I would hope that we could conclude this matter without tarnishing his reputation and his entire career in any way. That is not the intention.”
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Rob Harris can be reached at http://twitter.com/RobHarris.
