England pulls nine athletes from Glasgow Commonwealth Games

A wave of high-profile withdrawals has hit the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on the day of its opening ceremony, July 23, 2026, with England's athletics squad losing nine members including Olympic medallists Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Dina Asher-Smith. The exodus deals a significant blow to the event's star power as competition begins.

Johnson-Thompson, the double defending Commonwealth champion in the heptathlon, announced her withdrawal on social media, citing an unspecified injury sustained earlier in the season. The 33-year-old stated that while the injury had improved, she had not regained the level needed to compete at her best. After discussions with her team, she made the difficult decision to focus on preparing for the European Championships in Birmingham next month. She expressed her disappointment at missing the chance to defend her title on home soil.

Her departure opens the door for rivals, including Northern Ireland's Kate O'Connor, who won silver behind Johnson-Thompson at the 2022 Games and took silver at the 2025 World Championships. Johnson-Thompson has been replaced in the England squad by Niamh Emerson, who won bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.