SOUTH African sprint sensation Simon "The Tiger" Magakwe is heartbroken about allegations that he and four track and field athletes are faking injuries.

Magakwe is suffering from a hamstring injury, which resulted in his withdrawal from Team South Africa at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

The other four athletes who withdrew citing injuries are Khotso Mokoena, Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, Caster Semenya and Tumelo Thagane.

"It's a blue lie that I'm faking the injury. I have been nursing a hamstring injury for some time now," said Magakwe, who is a member of Royal Bafokeng Athletics.

"When we were in Kenya for the African Championships in July, I was carrying the injury but decided to run with it and in the process I made it worse.

"I won two medals in the championships, gold in the 4 x 100m relay and bronze in 100m and 200m. The team doctor at that time knew about the injury.

"I was advised by the doctors to stop running until the injury heals completely, to avoid missing out on the 2011 World Championships in South Korea.

"I have not been competing since then to allow the injury to heal.

"I have not received a cent from competing in athletics here at home in a very long time, competing in India would have been a golden opportunity for me to advertise myself.

"My financial situation is now worse. I have not been paid my money for winning the track and field competitions at the beginning of the year.

"I feel bad that I'm a top athlete but still poor because we are competing in athletics as if we are volunteers.

"With the arrival of Hendrick Ramaala at Athletics South Africa as deputy administrator, we hope the situation will change."

Thagane said: "I have had an injured ankle since May. There is no way I will go to India."

Sascoc CEO Tubby Reddy said Team SA was still confident of doing well despite the withdrawal of the top athletes.