Athletics Ireland high performance director Paul McNamara has spoken about a "duty of care" in relation to Rhasidat Adeleke after her withdrawal from the 4x400m relay squad at the World Championships, adding that "structural issues" in her lower back now presents a risk.
The Tallaght sensation finished fourth in the 400m final in Budapest on Wednesday night and had been expected to anchor the quartet, however a long season has caught up on the 20-year-old.
Fourth in the individual final in a time of 50.13 seconds, Adeleke looked spent when she crossed the line half a second behind third-placed Sada Williams of Barbados.
That was her third race in four days, following a gruelling American collegiate season, which saw her crowned NCAA 400m champion in June.
Adeleke made the decision to turn pro following her NCAA success, and while her first few months as a professional have not gone as smoothly as hoped, this may be partly explained by an MRI for an unspecified issue in the last few weeks.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio's Saturday Sport, Paul McNamara gave more clarity on the Tallaght competitor's absence from the relay event.
"Look, we're all disappointed Rhasidat is not in the relay, as she is, as is coach Flo [Edrick Floréal]. She has had a very long year, a big transition year going pro. She toured Europe, a short enough tour, but two big races, and then came back to Dublin.
"She and coach Flo did want to run the National Championships but our own medical team felt it was not good for her at that moment. There are underlying issues she needs to get sorted out, so it was our recommendations she didn't run National Championships.
"She always said I can only give you three rounds out there [in Budapest], she was selected in the 4x4 and it was a case of let's review as we go along. She got her final done and did look tired and didn't hit the heights she was hoping for, despite finishing fourth in the world as a 20-year-old. Her coach feels she's exhausted. Our medical team feels this is the right thing for her, to go home.
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"There are some underlying issues that coach Flo has referred to that we see, our own medical team. It just wouldn't be right or appropriate to look Rhasidat in the eye to say we really want you on this team. We talked about a duty of care and we have a duty of care to all our athletes. Rhasidat wants to get home; our belief is that she is best off being at home. It's a big, big year next year. She is 21 years [in 2024] of age which is still very, very young but we want her right for Paris."
Interviewer Greg Allen did reference "notable instability" in Adeleke's running at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco in July. That was the point where she decided not to run at the National Championships a week later.
Responding to that and on the question of underlying issues, McNamara added: "A couple of people have commented here at the champs that anyone with a good technical eye can see that Rhasidat's running action now is not what it was six months ago or 12 months ago. I think there is more than just fatigue.
"We have to respect Rhasidat's confidentiality and we can't go into the specifics but ultimately there are structural issues in her lower back which do present a risk - and are already having an impact.
"It is reasonable to say it did cost her a medal at these World Championships. From our perspective we don't want to see her miss out on anything else; we want to see her back fresh, tackling her first full year as a professional athlete, post NCAA, and come best in best possible shape in 2024.
"Structurally she needs to step back and get certain things right and we have to respect that with a duty of care in mind.
"There is a risk factor going again. We would be asking for five races in a very short space of time. It's a lot to be asking and as a 20-year-old she doesn't have that level of conditioning required to sustain her through that when there is evidently underlying problems that need to be addressed."
