Haile Gebrselassie has withdrawn with an injury from next week's world indoor championships in Hungary where he was due to defend his 3,000 metres title.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) website said Gebrselassie, 30, would be replaced by Abiyote Abate in a last-minute change to the Ethiopian squad for the event running from March 5 to 7.

No details were given of the double Olympic 10,000 metres champion's injury.

The 19-year-old Markos Geneti, who beat Gebrselassie over two miles at the Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix meeting on February 20, will lead Ethiopia's 3,000 metres line-up in Budapest.

Gebrselassie, the world record holder at 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres outdoors, held the indoor 3,000 metres record until 1998 when Kenyan Daniel Komen clocked 7:24.90.

Gebrselassie also lost his 5,000 metres indoor record to compatriot Kenenisa Bekele at this month's Birmingham meet.

Bekele clocked 12 minutes 49.60 seconds to eclipse his mentor's time of 12:50.38 set at the same event in 1999.