• Commonwealth Games

Baltacha 'heartbroken' after Commonwealth withdrawal

ESPN staff
September 26, 2010
Elena Baltacha has been forced to withdraw © Getty Images
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British No.1 Elena Baltacha has taken the "heartbreaking" decision to pull out of the Commonwealth Games due to health concerns.

The 27-year-old Scot, who is ranked number 50 in the world, revealed that she is unwilling to risk aggravating a liver condition by travelling to Delhi.

She is the latest in a series of high-profile athletes - including Phillips Idowu - to shun the Games due to safety and health issues.

"After a lot of thought and discussion, I have taken the heartbreaking decision to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games," Baltacha said.

"I am incredibly disappointed because I was really excited about playing for Scotland, but conditions in Delhi are such that going there would pose too high a risk to my health.

"I suffer from a liver condition which is linked to my immune system and makes me susceptible to picking up infections. At the age of 27 and after many years of hard work, I am now playing the best tennis of my career and I cannot afford to jeopardise that by getting ill."

Meanwhile, England say 48 members of their Commonwealth Games team will move into the athletes' village in Delhi on Monday.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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