Botswanan star Isaac Makwala was withdrawn from the world 400-metre final on Tuesday after an outbreak of the norovirus bug at a hotel hosting athletes at the World Championships. “Isaac Makwala was withdrawn from the men’s 400-metre (Final) due to a medical condition on the instruction of the IAAF medical delegate,” world athletics’ ruling body said in a statement.

Makwala was withdrawn from the first round of the men’s 200-metre on Monday for the same reason, but the 30-year-old insisted on Tuesday he was ready to run the 400-metre before the IAAF stepped in. Despite the IAAF ruling he could not run, Makwala tried to gain access to the warm-up track ahead of the final but was turned away, sparking an angry reaction from the team.

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There was plenty of outrage on Twitter too:

“Isaac has been denied entry to the stadium and has been taken back to the hotel where the team stays,” Botswana national sports commission chief executive Falcon Sedimo told the BBC. “We don’t have any official communication from the IAAF pointing to the reasons that have led to Makwala being debarred from competing in the 400 metres final for men.

“I met Makwala this morning before 11am and I also met him again this afternoon at around 1500 hours and the indications were that he was ready and raring to go.”

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Public Health England said 30 athletes and support staff had been affected at a central London hotel, with two cases confirmed as being the norovirus bug. Dr Deborah Turbitt of PHE said: “PHE has been notified of a confirmed outbreak of norovirus among people associated with the World Athletics Championships. “We have so far been made aware of approximately 30 people reporting illness and two of these cases have been confirmed as norovirus by laboratory testing.

Decision was made ‘on the basis of a medical examination’

The IAAF said that contrary to what had been claimed by the Botswana team, it had made it clear that under no circumstances could Makwala take part. The IAAF said: “It was clearly explained to the teams in writing on Sunday and in person to the Botswanan delegation, a member of which was present with many other representatives of teams at a meeting that took place at the Guoman Tower Hotel on Sunday.

The decision to withdraw him from the 200-metre heats and the 400-metre final was made on the basis of a medical examination conducted in the warm-up medical centre by a qualified doctor on Monday (August 7) and recorded in the electronic medical record system of the championships.”