LIMA, Peru -- American sprinter Justin Gatlin is skipping the Pan American Games in Lima to focus on the track and field world championships in Doha, Qatar, a U.S. Olympic & Paralympic spokesperson said Friday morning.
Gatlin, the 2004 100-meter Olympic champion, had been part of the Americans' 4x100 relay pool for the Pan Am Games, but he was not on USATF's new roster announced Wednesday.
An arbitrator ruled last week that the organization must select a new roster to reflect performances based only on this calendar year. USATF's initial announcement, which combined performances from 2018 and this year, had Gatlin on the roster.
The opening ceremonies for Lima 2019 take place Friday evening. The men's 4x100 relay final is scheduled for Aug. 9.
The track worlds begin Sept. 28.