BAD DURHEIM, West Germany -- Patriz Ilg of West Germany, the world 3,000 meter steeplechase champion said Tuesday he will not compete in the Los Angeles Olympic Games because of a virus infection.
Ilg, 26, said instead of going to Los Angeles he will go to a hospital to have his tonsils taken out.
'My goal was an Olympic victory' he said, 'I am too ambitious to be content as an also-ran and I will not be able to get into gold medal form by the time of the Games.
West German team officials invited Ilg to go to LA as a guest, but he refused saying, 'I want to be at the Olympics as a participant, not as a spectator.'
Earlier in the week another world champion - 5,000 meters title holder Eammon Coglan of Ireland - announced he will not compete at the Olympics as he had not recovered properly from a leg injury.
