On July 18, fans were preparing for one of the most exciting meets of the Diamond League season. Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo was set to face reigning world champion Oblique Seville, NCAA sensation Jordan Anthony, and Nigerian sprint star Kayinsola Ajayi in a blockbuster men’s 100m showdown. But just days before the event, the London Diamond League was hit by a major shake-up as several high-profile athletes withdrew from competition.

On July 16, athletics journalist Owen posted on X that Tebogo had been dropped from the London Diamond League start list. Shortly afterward, it was confirmed that Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme would replace the Olympic champion in the men’s 100m field. While an official reason was not immediately provided, according to Mail Online, the reason behind his absence is visa and travel issues.

According to reports, Tebogo and fellow Botswana athlete Bayapo Ndori became stranded in Monaco ahead of the Novuna London Athletics Meet after encountering issues with their UK visas. The group, which also included coach Kebonyemodisa “Dose” Mosimanyane and other team members, reportedly planned to travel to Italy in a final attempt to secure the necessary documents. However, the visas were not expected to arrive in time for Saturday’s competition, forcing the athletes to withdraw from the meet.

The situation also impacted Ndori, the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist in the men’s 4x400m relay and one of Botswana’s top quarter-milers. He has been ruled out of the men’s 400m and will be replaced by American veteran Vernon Norwood.

The men’s 800m field has lost one of its biggest attractions after Canadian star Marco Arop withdrew from the event. No official reason has been announced for his absence. The withdrawal comes as a surprise given Arop’s outstanding form this season. The 2023 world champion recently produced a world-leading 1:41.84 to win the Paris Diamond League. His withdrawal opened the door for other contenders, but the women’s 800m field soon faced its own major setback.

Hunter Bell’s dream London race ends after illness forces withdrawal

British star Georgia Hunter Bell was also forced to bow out of her hometown’s Diamond League meeting after suffering from an acute illness in the women’s 800m. Prior to the setback, Hunter Bell was having a stellar 2026 season. She started the year by winning gold in the 1500m at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Toruń, Poland with a British indoor record of 3:58.53 to become the first British women’s athlete to win a world senior medal.

Even though she was in good form, Hunter Bell announced that she would not compete in London as she fell ill before the event.  The British runner shared on Instagram, “I have dreamt about racing an 800m in London since I won last year and have been so excited about what time I could run in a paced race after soloing British champs. But that will have to wait until later in the season.”

She further added, “After trying to do everything I could to get back on the start line, I’m just not well enough to race yet and medical advice is that lining up could set me back further. With Commonwealth Games and Europeans starting soon, I need to be fighting fit….”

With Hunter Bell ruled out, British teammate Jemma Reekie has been confirmed as her replacement in the women’s 800m field, giving another home star the chance to shine in front of the London crowd.