Robbie Grabarz will not defend his European high jump title after revealing he is set to undergo knee surgery.
Grabarz collected gold from the 2012 European Championships in Helsinki before going on to pick up bronze at London 2012 just over a month later.
However the 26-year-old will not defend his European crown in Zurich this summer after opting to go under the knife to correct a long-standing knee problem.
And despite admitting his disappointment at having to sit out the 2014 outdoor season, Grabarz knows it is the right decision in the long run.
"We had to look at the long-term outlook and I need to be operating at 100 per cent, not 90-95 per cent as I have been doing," Grabarz said.
"The knee has been a problem for about a year. I need the surgery now as I don't want to compromise my performances by not sorting this problem out.
"I'm gutted I won't be able to defend my European title and compete at the Commonwealth Games.
"It's totally upsetting as I just want to compete at major championships and challenge for medals. It's a long term decision with 2015 and 2016 in mind."
© Sportsbeat 2014