"I am disappointed to have to withdraw from Worlds," Chen said. 

"I have a nagging injury that I've been dealing with, and I don’t want to risk further injury by practising and competing next week.

"I have been training for this competition since returning from Beijing."

Chen had won world singles titles in 2018, 2019 and 2021 and had added Olympic gold in Beijing a month ago apart from the team silver.

The announcement was confirmed by United States Figure Skating, who also confirmed that Camden Pulkinen will make his World Championships debut instead alongside 2019 world bronze medallist Vincent Zhou and teenager Ilia Malinin.

Japan’s double Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu had also pulled out of the World Championships earlier in the month.

Hanyu's withdrawal came after an ankle injury sustained in Beijing failed to respond to treatment.

He sustained the injury in practice attempting the quad axel and placed only fourth in the Olympic competition.

It means there will be a new name as men’s world champion just as there will also be a new women’s singles gold medallist.

No Russian skaters will be permitted to take part as a result of sanctions following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

It is likely that there will also be new champions in the pairs competition because China’s Olympic gold medallists and double world champions Han Cong and Su Weijing will not be in Montpellier.