Speaking at a news conference in Melbourne on Thursday, Freeman said her husband had a tumour in the back of his mouth and needed chemotherapy and radiation treatment for five to seven weeks.

Freeman said she would be pulling out of all individual competition this year to be with her husband.

The Australian star did, however, say there was a slight possibility that she might run the 4x400m relay at the Manchester Games in August.

"I will keep training and stay fit and I plan to return to competition as soon as I can.

"This has obviously come as a complete shock to both Alexander [Sandy] and myself.

"At the moment my highest priority is to remain by my husband's side, and to give him as much love and support as possible."

The 49-year-old Bodecker, an executive with US sports giant Nike, is based in Portland, Oregon. He and Freeman were married in September 1999.

Athletics Australia chief executive officer Simon Allatson said it was a blow to lose Freeman so close to the Games, which run from 25 July to 4 August.

"She's an extraordinary athlete and an extraordinary individual and of course she's one of the leaders of the team," Allatson said.

He said family should always take priority over sport.

"Clearly losing an athlete of the calibre of Cathy is a blow, as it would be for any team," he said.

"But sport goes on...and some issues are more important than sport."

He said he had no fears that her withdrawal from Manchester would mean the end of her athletics career.

"If she dedicates herself, I have no doubt she can look forward to Athens [the 2004 Olympics], Melbourne [Commonwealth Games] in 2006 and possibly even Beijing [the 2008 Olympics]," he said.

Freeman, who missed this year's Australian championships because of a leg injury, took 18 months off from international competition after winning gold at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

The double world champion had qualified for the 4x400m relay but had not qualified for the individual event.