The 26-year-old former world record holder claims he does not understand why he is being prevented from running for Cuba.

Robles had asked in January to be allowed a period to recuperate following a series of injuries, including at London 2012 where he failed to finish the race, a bitter disappointment having won the gold medal in Beijing four years earlier.

Alberto Juantorena, President of the Cuban Athletics Federation, later wrote to the IAAF to confirm that they no longer considered Robles to be a representative of them and has publicly claimed that he has "a problem of discipline and sportsmanship".

Robles, however, has since returned to the track and competed in European meetings, which he claims he is allowed to do as he is a member of a club in Monaco, but has angered Juantorena, the 1976 Olympic 400m and 800m champion.


"No athlete may participate in international competitions unless you are a member of a club or federation of the country," he said.

"We're going to keep the initial position to the IAAF Council, because we are against the theft of athletes by the great powers from underdeveloped countries."

Robles, however, claims to be baffled by Juantorena's claims that he is guilty of doing anything wrong.

"They are saying that I committed a foul, as indiscipline, lack of ethics, is what I heard Alberto Juantorena had claimed," said Robles, who is due to compete in a meeting in Reims tomorrow.

"I do not know what misconduct he is talking about.

"I have always been a responsible athlete."

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