A HEAD athletics coach has been dismissed from the Games after criticising an athlete.

Athletics Australia's top trainer Eric Hollingsworth has been stripped of his accreditation following his scathing comments about Olympian and fellow Aussie Sally Pearson.

The coach publicly criticised the athlete for ditching the team's pre-Games camp in favour of a race in London, and said: "Her no-show sets a bad example to the entire national team."

The remarks came the day before Sally was due to defend her title in the 100m hurdles.

Hollingsworth is understood to have been travelling back to Australia from Glasgow yesterday following the dismissal.