Team England announced on Wednesday that Judoka Ben Fletcher suffered a knee injury during routine training and due to his injuries will be unable to compete at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.  A replacement for Fletcher will be named shortly.

Also forced to withdraw from Team England through injury is cyclist Jon Dibben, who suffered a fractured elbow after a training ride crash. Dibben, who was due to compete in both the Track and Road events at Glasgow, will not be replaced on the Track, with a decision due imminently on a possible replacement for the Road.

Hockey’s Tim Whiteman will also miss out on the Commonwealth Games due to injury and will be replaced by club teammate Ollie Willars. Whiteman recently broke his thumb and it has not healed correctly and therefore a further operation is required early next week. Whiteman’s club teammate and housemate Willars has flown up to Glasgow with the rest of England’s Hockey team today.

Diving’s Matthew Lee and Daniel Goodfellow are other Team withdrawals due to injury, but will not be replaced – with England’s Diving Team now reduced to 14 members.

Team England Chef de Mission Jan Paterson MBE said: “It is very disappointing that each of these talented athletes won’t be able to join us in Glasgow, and they will be sorely missed by the entire England team.  We wish them all the best with their recovery.”

Paterson continued: “We would like to welcome Ollie Willars to the England team for his first Commonwealth Games.  Ollie has been part of the centralised training squad since April 2013, is no stranger to the team and played for the England Team at last weekend’s London Cup.  We look forward to welcoming him to the Athletes Village and England’s Lions’ Den.”