The reason is that she is not where she wants to be form-wise after her injury problems.

"Sad news, of course, but at the same time understandable if Meraf feels that the form is not there," says union captain Kajsa Bergqvist.

Bahta suffered a hamstring injury at the beginning of the summer.

"We don't feel that she has had time to get in such good shape that she can perform at her peak.

Time was simply too short this time, but we are still happy that the whole process of getting back to intensive training has gone as quickly as it has," says trainer Per Skoog.

Bahta also missed the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, USA, in July.

The Athletics European Championships in Munich begin on Monday.

CLIP: "I lost everything both mentally and physically" (March 22)

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Camille Buscomb, New Zealand and Meraf Bahta during the Olympics in Tokyo.

Photo: BILDBYRÅN