Mark Lewis Francis Against Commonwealth Withdrawals

Mark Lewis Francis believes that there is no excuse for athletes to pull out of the Commonwealth Games.

The Games will be held in Delhi, they get underway this weekend, but they have hit with health and safety problems as well as issues over the standard of the venues and the athletes village.

Many of Britain's big named athletes had chosen to miss the Games due to the clash with winter training but the likes of Philips Idowu ad Elena Baltacha have pulled out due to health and safety fears.

But Mark Lewis Francis has revealed that never had any intention of pulling out and is looking forward to the Games.

Speaking to Sky Sports from the training camp in Doha he said: "For me, there's no real excuse for pulling out.

"There's no fear at all; I'm looking forward to India; I think that India's going to put on a great show.

"I know that England as a nation, all the athletes are comfortable."

Lewis Francis burst back into form this summer when he picked up an unexpected silver medal at the European Championships in Barcelona and while he hopes to go one better in India he isn't getting too carried away.

"It'd be nice! It definitely would be nice. But I'm going to take it step but step. I've achieved the ultimate achievement that I could this year, winning a silver medal at the European Champs.

"I'm just going to go through the same procedures as I did in Barcelona, just take it step by step."

The Commonwealth Games gets underway 3rd October.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw