Adam Gemili says he considered quitting athletics and “going back to football” after poor results at the 2022 World Championships and Commonwealth Games.
The British sprinter was a youth player at Chelsea and on the books at then-League Two Dagenham & Redbridge.
He switched to athletics in 2012, was European 200m champion in 2014 and fourth at the 2016 Olympics.
“Football was what I came from originally, so that was one of the options for me,” said Gemili, 29.
“I was going back to football. I reached out to a few clubs and they said, ‘Come and do some training with us’.
“I can’t say the clubs. There was a Championship club, there was a League One club, no Premier League clubs yet but maybe one day.”
The Londoner says he had lost interest in running after a dip in his performances followed a dispute with UK Athletics over his use of American coach Rana Reider.
Reider is being investigated following multiple complaints of sexual misconduct, which he denies.
Gemili initially refused to split with his coach, before eventually leaving in August, after being eliminated in the 200m heats at last July’s World Championships in Oregon and then failing to make the Commonwealth Games final.
“I basically quit the sport, I didn’t have any interest, I didn’t enjoy getting up for training,” said Gemili, who was officially dropped from UK Athletics’ top level of funding in November.
“I hated it and that was because of all the stressful stuff which was going on.
“After the Commonwealth Games, it was a big, ‘Right, do I quit and go back to football and try it, and maybe go into National League or whatever and make a bit of money and enjoy my last few years of sport – or do I commit to this?'”
Gemili has since joined a training group in Italy with Reider’s former assistant Marco Airale and is now back on track, finishing second in the 60m at the World Indoor Tour in Birmingham on Saturday.
“I sat down with my family and friends and we decided I’ve still got a lot more I want to give in this sport,” he said.
“I’ve always been close and I know I believe, if I can get myself in shape, I can run with the best.
“I’m finding that love again. I don’t make any money out of the sport, I’m not sponsored, but I love it. I’ve been in the sport a long time and there’s still a lot I want to achieve. We’ll get to Paris [Olympics] and then after Paris we’ll reassess.”
