Phillips Idowu claims he is happy to be the "invisible man" of British athletics as he insisted that injury is not the reason he has not competed for six weeks.
Olympic triple jump silver medallist Idowu has competed just three times in 2012, with his last appearance coming in Eugene, Oregon on June 1.
"I have not mentioned anything about an injury to be honest, so no-one has heard the words come out of my mouth, or from my coach, or any of my team," said the 2009 world champion. "So I have let that rumour mill stir itself and it has given me an opportunity to focus on my preparation for the Games, which I feel has gone really well."
The 33-year-old struggled to hit top form with leaps of 16.43 metres and 17.05m in Eugene before seemingly injuring himself when he fouled with his third attempt. He took no further part in the competition.
Idowu subsequently withdrew from meetings in Oslo and Paris and the Olympic trials in Birmingham, with UK Athletics head coach Charles van Commenee declining to clarify Idowu's situation due to issues of "medical confidentiality".
However, ahead of his return to competition this weekend in the London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace, Idowu insisted his lack of competition was merely precautionary so as not to jeopardise his chances of Olympic glory on home soil.
Idowu added: "Every year I never compete in every meet I put down as scheduled. I put my name down as an option for competitions that I may want to do through the year, but there are times when things go really well and you feel like 'Okay, I can take a step back.'
"In Eugene I pulled out after the third round because it was raining and I slipped on the board. You hit the board, your foot slips, and it kind of sends the fear of God through you. I didn't want to take any chances.
"The trials was precautionary. After Eugene I had been working really hard with a 10-day training program, I had a day off and then went on a solid five-day program, so physically there was a lot of fatigue in my system and I didn't want to jeopardise my chances at the Games by competing when I wasn't in tip-top form.
"I have always said if I am not in the best possible physical shape then I won't compete because people pay their hard earned money to come and see me perform well and compete, and I want to do them justice by making sure that I am in the best shape I can be when I do compete."