Mulaudzi ruled out of Games

Johannesburg - South Africa's Commonwealth Games team lost its second world champion to injury Wednesday after men's 800m runner Mbulaeni Mulaudzi was ruled out with back and hamstring problems.

Team doctor Shuaib Manjra said Mulaudzi withdrew after tests confirmed he had not fully recovered from the problems that plagued him earlier this season and forced him to miss the 800 final at the African championships in Kenya.

"In Mulaudzi's case we did extensive testing on him and found abnormalities (in his back and hamstring)," said Manjra. "We therefore have decided to withdraw him from the squad."

Mulaudzi followed Caster Semenya, the women's 800m world champion, who was ruled out with a back injury on Tuesday.

However, South African long jumper Khotso Mokoena will compete in New Delhi after receiving the all-clear from the leg muscle problem that had restricted the Olympic silver medallist's training over the past two months.

Even after recovering from injury, Mokoena's participation was in doubt after it was reported that he had not been able to train in the run-in to the October 3-14 event.

"With Mokoena we find no reason that he can't compete at the highest level here at the Commonwealth Games," Manjra said from New Delhi. "There have been media reports that he hasn't been able to train for eight weeks and would be unfit for competition, but we have evidence which says otherwise.

"We feel that Mokoena is fit enough to come to Delhi and he will be injury-free and able to go for gold, which is what we expect of an athlete of his caliber."

Mokoena will fly to India with South Africa's athletics and swimming teams on Thursday.

The games start Sunday.