Félicien Muhitira will not represent Rwanda at Tokyo 2020 ©Getty Images

Rwandan marathon runner Félicien Muhitira has been thrown off the country's team for the delayed Olympic Games in Tokyo after breaching COVID-19 rules at a training camp.

The Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Committee (RNOSC) said Muhitira had left the camp in at a hotel in Nyamata without the permission of his coach and the organisation.

Muhitira has been suspended and dropped from the Olympic squad "due to deliberately violating the rules and regulations of the training camp by leaving it without permission and especially violating the countermeasures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as requested by Tokyo 2020".

The 26-year-old is among the first to be banned from competing at the Games, set to open on July 23, for breaking COVID-19 rules.

The Rwandan athlete had been due to participate in the marathon at Tokyo 2020 ©Getty Images
The Rwandan athlete had been due to participate in the marathon at Tokyo 2020 ©Getty Images

Athletes participating at Tokyo 2020 have been threatened with sanctions such as fines and being sent home from the Games if they fail to adhere to the strict measures that will be in place at the event.

Muhitira is one of eight Rwandan athletes to have so far qualified for the Olympics.

Marathon runners John Hakizimana and Marthe Yankurije, cyclists Joseph Areruya, Samuel Mugisha, Didier Munyaneza and Moise Mugisha and swimmers Eloi Imaniraguha and Alphonsine Agahozo are also due to represent the country at the Games.

Muhitira has a personal best of 2 hours 10min 58sec in the marathon and 1:02:31 in the half marathon.

The postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics are scheduled to run through to August 8.