• London Olympics 2012

Gareth Bale ruled out of Olympics

ESPN staff
June 30, 2012
Gareth Bale recently signed a new contract at Tottenham © Getty Images
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Tottenham winger Gareth Bale has suffered an injury that will rule him out of the Great Britain squad for next month's Olympic Games in London.

Bale, 22, was expected to star alongside compatriots Craig Bellamy and Ryan Giggs at the London Games, but coach Stuart Pearce will now be denied his talents.

The Welshman is believed to have sustained a recurrence of an old back and hip injury after pulling up while running, and the problem appears to be serious enough to keep him out of the Team GB squad, in what will be a major blow to the team's chances of success.

Bale, who signed a new four-year contract with Spurs three days ago, enjoyed another fine Premier League campaign in 2011-12, contributing nine goals and ten assists in 36 games and featuring in the PFA Team of the Year for a second successive season.

The Tottenham star joins David Beckham as a notable absentee after the former England captain revealed on Thursday that he has not been included in Pearce's final 18-man squad.

Team GB begin their Olympic campaign against Senegal on July 26 at Wembley, and will also face United Arab Emirates and Uruguay in Group A.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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