LONDON: An athletics track must be kept at the Olympic Stadium after the 2012 London Games to honour a bid pledge, European athletics president Hansjorg Wirz said on Tuesday. Wirz also said a multi-purpose stadium in London could work, pointing to the success of the Stade de France in Paris, which has hosted international athletics, football and rugby events. “Keeping the athletics track must be part of any future plans for the Olympic Stadium,” Wirz said in a statement. “London needs a high-quality venue that has the potential to host future European Athletics Championships and World Championships.”
A public relations battle is developing over the future of the 496 million pounds ($791.3 million) stadium after Premier League soccer club Tottenham Hotspur said they planned to largely demolish the venue and replace it with a purpose-built soccer ground after the Games if they are chosen as anchor tenants. A rival bid from fellow Premier League club West Ham United, whose Upton Park ground is just five kilometres from the Olympic Park in Stratford, east London, has widespread support at they plan to leave an athletics and multi-sport legacy. Leading athletics figures have warned that failure to retain a track could have far-reaching implications for Britain’s standing in world sport.The overriding concern of politicians is that the stadium can pay its way and does not turn into a “white elephant”. Final bids need to be made in the coming days, with the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) due to choose its preferred option at the end of the month. It will then be up to the government and the Mayor of London to decide – Dailynews
