Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson has taken a playful swipe at West Ham United, stating that Team GB would secure more medals at the World Athletics Championships than the club has achieved throughout its history.
London Stadium Dispute Heats Up
The remark arises from tensions surrounding the London Stadium, which hosted the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2017 World Athletics Championships. London aims to bid for the 2029 event, but West Ham reportedly declines to vacate the venue for three weeks in September due to the Premier League schedule. This stance threatens the city’s bid prospects.
Hodgkinson, a potential highlight of a home championships in 2029, reacted on X to a related report with her cheeky comment: “The GB team will bring back more medals to that stadium than West Ham have seen in their entire history.”
World Athletics Firm on Dates
Organizers insist the September timing aligns with the outdoor athletics season finale and will not shift for football fixtures. Competing bids emerge from Rome, Munich, and Nairobi.
The bid enjoys support from the mayor’s office and World Athletics president Sebastian Coe. Coe urges cities to show flexibility, noting, “It’s really difficult for me because I have a view, but I have to be scrupulously neutral, because London is clearly not the only bid out there.”
He emphasized the event’s global stature: “All I would say is that I would hope that there is a recognition that outside the Olympic Games and the World Cup, this is the third-largest sporting gathering in a four-year cycle. I do ask cities to try to accommodate us. There has to be a recognition that it’s a big global sport. This is not a gimme to anyone.”
West Ham’s Position
West Ham maintains ongoing discussions with stadium management about potential dates. A club statement affirms, “West Ham United remain in a constructive dialogue with London Stadium regarding the potential dates for the proposed bid and await further information.” It adds that decisions hinge on the club’s contractual priority clause, ensuring football matches take precedence during the season.
