China's star hurdler Liu Xiang will not compete in the upcoming World Indoor Athletics Championships in Moscow, says coach Sun Haiping.

Coach Sun has been quoted by Sports.cn, the affiliated website of the State General Administration for Sports, as saying Liu will surely miss the Moscow meet due to a foot injury.

The coach has disclosed that the injury is healing slowly but still causes some problems for the athlete. For the sake of Liu Xiang's future career, they have come to the joint decision that Liu Xiang will not compete in Moscow.

Liu Xiang will still go to Moscow next week as scheduled to experience the spirit of the competition.

Liu Xiang sprained his foot after a training session in January. He has since missed the national competition in Shanghai, his hometown. His season opener is now likely to be the IAAF's spring meeting in Osaka, Japan in May.

(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2006)