Olympic 400m freestyle champion Ahmed Hafnawi will withdraw from the Paris Games, African Swimming (AA) has announced.
The continental governing body said on its website that it confirmed local media reports that the 21-year-old Tunisian will not swim at the Olympics, which will be held from July 26 to August 11.
The AA report said Hafnaoui had refused to resume training in the United States, where he was previously based, but did not provide further details. The Tunisian Olympic Committee and the national swimming federation were not immediately available for comment to Reuters.
Representatives for Hafnawi also had no immediate comment.
Hafnawi was training in California late last year with former U.S. team head coach Mark Schubert, who runs an elite distance swimming program in Orange County.
However, he told reporters at the World Championships in Doha in February that he had returned to Tunisia due to visa issues.
In 2021, 18-year-old Hafnaoui surprised the world by winning gold in the 400m freestyle at the COVID-19-hit Tokyo Olympics, coming from the eighth lane after being the last to enter the final. .
He won the 800m and 1,500m freestyle at last year's world championships in Fukuoka, and finished second to Australia's Sam Short in the 400m.
However, at the last World Championships held in Doha in February, she failed to advance to the finals in all three events.