Symmonds prepared to skip world track championships

Nick Symmonds, the defending world silver medalist in the 800 meters, will miss the world championships in Beijing over wording in a contract. The runner said he refused to sign the release that USA Track and Field required all athletes to sign to be on the team heading to China. With Nike serving as the official uniform sponsor for the American track team, Symmonds and the rest of the U.S. squad must wear that company’s gear at all team functions. Symmonds is sponsored by a rival shoe company and wanted it clearly spelled out what constituted a team function. The USATF left him off the team.