European Athletics – (EAA) – News – London starts its campaign to bring the World Championships back to Europe

London has got its campaign underway to be the host of the 2017 World Championships after being formally accepted as a candidate last week, while this year’s World Championships were being held in the South Korean city of Daegu. 

It is in a two-horse race with Doha, Qatar, the other contender and a decision will be made at the Council meeting of the sport’s global governing body, the IAAF, in November.

If London is successful, it would mean the World Championships return to Europe after a four-year hiatus.

The next World Championships will be in 2013 and staged in the Russian capital Moscow. The 2015 World Championships will be in Beijing.

"There is a real desire in the UK to host the IAAF World Athletics Championships," said Ed Warner, the chairman of UK Athletics.

"2017 would deliver a true Olympic legacy and with almost two million fans signing up for London 2012 athletics tickets there is a huge appetite for our sport in the capital. Our aim is to present a compelling bid to the IAAF in November."

The bid will be led by Sebastian Coe, the chairman of London 2012 and a vice-president of the IAAF.

"Athletics sits at the heart of all sports. We know we have a country and a city full of passionate athletics fans. I can't think of a more fitting tribute to celebrate the fifth birthday of the Olympic Stadium in London in 2017 than by having thousands of these fans gather once again and cheer the world's greatest sports stars,” commented the legendary middle-distance runner.

“Bringing the World Championships to London would grow the sport commercially; increase the fan base and continue to drive the inspirational power of sport, particularly athletics, to young people in our own country and around the world,” added Coe.

“The British public has a passion for athletics and bringing the World Championships to our country would build on the enthusiasm for the sport generated by London 2012. The bid has the full backing of the British Government,” said Britain’s Sport and Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson.

Support for the bid has also come from top athletes on both sides of the Atlantic.

“There is so much interest in athletics in the UK, two million people went for Olympic tickets and I know other athletes would enjoy coming to London to compete. It would be superb from my point of view…I’d love to compete at the Olympic Stadium in 2017,” said Britain’s Dai Greene, the newly crowned 400m hurdles world champion and 2010 European Athletics Championships gold medallist.

American long jumper Dwight Phillips, four times a winner at the World Championships in his speciality, is also backing London. “I’ll be very removed from the sport by then, but it would be really great. The people in Britain know so much about our sport and they really support it. I might not be a competitor in 2017, but I’d want to come to London and be a spectator.”

The official London 2017 website is at: www.uka.org.uk/london2017

 European Athletics – (EAA) –  News