The Belfast man was due to make his first appearance at an Olympics in Tokyo but will now not compete as he struggles with mental health issues.

"I will not be going to Tokyo Olympics & until I feel in a better place with mental health I am taking some time to myself," Scullion tweeted on Saturday.

"Sometimes in life you have to do what is right, and I need to find a happy place," he added.

"I apologise to anybody who has supported me until now and feels lets down."

"It's ok to struggle. I promise you we all struggle and I'm sorry that it's not easier to open up," Scullion had said in an earlier tweet on Friday.

"I'm sorry that as a society it's seen as weakness struggling with mental health. It's not, and we need to talk about it more, and how to cope."

Scullion's scheduled maiden participation in the Olympic men's marathon had been confirmed on June 15.

Ireland will be represented in the event by Paul Pollock and Kevin Seaward, who both ran at the 2016 Rio Games.

posted Saturday July 10th