Glasgow 2026: Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Dina Asher-Smith Lead High-Profile Commonwealth Games Withdrawals
The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games have suffered another major setback after Olympic silver medallist and two-time world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson withdrew from the competition because of injury.
Johnson-Thompson, who won heptathlon gold at both the Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, confirmed she has not recovered sufficiently to compete in Glasgow.
The 33-year-old has instead shifted her focus to next month’s European Athletics Championships.
“Missing a championship is never easy, but I know it’s the right decision,” Johnson-Thompson said.
England has named Niamh Emerson, the 2018 Commonwealth bronze medallist, as her replacement.
The withdrawals extend beyond Johnson-Thompson. Sprint star Dina Asher-Smith, Olympic 400m silver medallist Matt Hudson-Smith, fellow sprinter Daryll Neita, and 400m runner Amber Anning have also been ruled out of Team England’s athletics squad. All four had been scheduled to feature in relay events.
Their places have been taken by Renee Regis, Ebuka Nwokeji, Tara Simpson-Sullivan, and Tom Keen ahead of the athletics programme, which begins on Monday.
The latest withdrawals add to a growing list of elite athletes opting out of the Games. England’s Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson had earlier decided to skip the event to prioritise the European Championships, while Saint Lucia’s Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred also pulled out.
Canadian swimming sensation Summer McIntosh has chosen to compete instead at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.
The absence of several global stars has reignited debate over the Commonwealth Games’ position in an increasingly congested international sporting calendar. Many athletes have prioritised other championships, particularly with the European Championships scheduled just weeks after Glasgow 2026.
The Games also faced organisational challenges after Victoria, Australia, withdrew as host in 2023, forcing Glasgow to step in with only 18 months to prepare.
The event’s final dates and competition schedule were only confirmed in October 2025.
Despite the high-profile withdrawals, Glasgow 2026 organisers remain optimistic. Chief Executive Phil Batty believes the Games will still provide a platform for established champions and emerging talents to shine.
“We have got an incredible field of athletes,” Batty said.
“It is equally exciting to see which athletes use these Games as their breakthrough moment.”
Commonwealth Sport Chief Executive Katie Sadleir acknowledged that scheduling difficulties contributed to the challenges and said discussions would take place with international sporting bodies to create a clearer competition window for future editions.
While the absence of some of athletics’ biggest names is a disappointment, organisers remain confident the Games will still deliver memorable performances from a new generation of Commonwealth stars.
