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9h ago

Nafissatou Thiam Withdraws From World Championships Heptathlon After Five Events

The withdrawal followed a disrupted build-up tied to an image-rights dispute with Belgian Athletics, a claim the federation rejects.

Sep 20, 2025; Tokyo, , Japan; Nafissatou Thiam aka Nafi Thiam (BEL) competes in the heptathlon long jump during the World Athletics Championships at National Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
An unhappy Nafissatou Thiam dropped out of the heptathlon at the world championships

Overview

  • The triple Olympic champion exited after five of seven disciplines and did not start the evening javelin, ending her campaign before the 800 metres.
  • A 5.99m long jump left her 11th in the event and eighth overall, 377 points behind leader Anna Hall, after an earlier subpar 200 metres.
  • Agent Helena Van der Plaetsen confirmed she would not continue, and coach Michael Van Der Plaetsen said it made no sense for her to go on.
  • Thiam said she had struggled throughout the competition and was deeply disappointed, describing the experience as not enjoyable.
  • She has refused a federation code of conduct over image rights and alleges exclusion from a pre-worlds camp and her physio’s accreditation, which Belgian Athletics denies; her coach said the turmoil affected performances.