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British Queen celebrates

 

London 2012 chairman Lord Coe believes it is within the "wit and wisdom" of decision-makers to keep a track and field legacy at the Olympic Stadium.

It has yet to be finalised what to do with the 80,000-seat stadium after London 2012, with Premier League outfit West Ham among four bidders interested in becoming tenants.

The process has been hit by a series of delays and legal wrangles while there has also been a focus on keeping to the original promise of an athletics legacy at the venue.

Lord Coe remains confident that a track and field legacy will remain at the stadium and believes there will be an outcome that works for all parties.

He said: "I only tend to interfere when I get irritated about things.

 

"I was very committed to the Olympic legacy. I felt very strongly that it was a commitment I made, and I made it to a lot of people in international sport. I certainly wasn't going to walk away from that.

"I still think it is perfectly within the wit and wisdom of all of us to make a multi-purpose sporting arena work for track and field. The rest of it is now firmly in the lap of the Olympic Park Legacy Company.

"I do think it would have been a fairly mystifying set of images that would have come through in six weeks had we been watching the news and the roller derby was taking place as the stadium disappeared.

"I am not sure that would have met with public approval."

The Press Association, photo by grant melton