SONIA O'SULLIVAN has pulled nut of Friday night's Oslo Grand Prix meet.week and casts further doubts about her form and fitness with the World Championships approaching in five weeks' time.

In a brief, terse statement, issued by her manager and coach Kim McDonald, O'Sullivan's withdrawal was announced without explanation.

The statement read: "Sonia O'Sullivan has made a decision not to participate in the 5,000 metres at Oslo this weekend. She will now concentrate on preparing for the World Championships in Athens in August and has no specific plans to race before then. Further information will be issued when available."