London has been awarded the right to stage the 2017 IAAF World Championships following presentations to the IAAF in Monaco today.
The London 2017 bid was awarded the championships following a nine-week campaign against a rival bid from Doha, Qatar. 16 of the 27 member voting council chose London to host the championships.
Speaking in response to today’s decision, London 2017 bid President Lord Sebastian Coe said: “I am delighted and extremely proud that my colleagues on the IAAF Council have entrusted London with the 2017 World Athletics Championships. It will be such an honour to host our sport’s showcase event in the Olympic Stadium and realise a personal and professional dream.
“I would like to pay tribute to my friend and colleague Dahlan Al-Hamad and the Doha bid team who ran a strong campaign. They have continued to innovate and show a passionate love of sport and desire to bring new events and I am sure it won’t be long before they host the World Championships.”
Chair Ed Warner said: “We are immensely proud that the IAAF Council has voted to award London the right to stage the 2017 World Championships in athletics.
“We have campaigned throughout the bid knowing that we can deliver a superb, record-breaking world championships, and we are delighted that the IAAF has now given us the opportunity to do so.
“This mandate means we can now push on and organise what will be a superb event for London and for athletics globally, putting athletes at its heart.”
Sports Minister Hugh Robertson added: “I am delighted that London has won the right to host the IAAF 2017 World Athletics Championships. Our bid showed the passion that our nation has for athletics and this will leave a fantastic legacy for the sport. I am sure we will put on a brilliant championships in the Olympic Stadium and the Government looks forward to working with the IAAF, UKA and the Mayor to deliver exactly that.”
Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said: “This is wonderful news for London and hosting the 2017 World Athletics Championships in the Olympic Stadium will bring our long term vision for legacy to life. We are a diverse city where the world athletics family will feel at home and we look forward to welcoming you in 2017.
“This decision serves to reinforce London’s status as a world-class sporting venue now and for the future.”
Simon Morton, Director of Major Events and International Relations at UK Sport, said: “This is a superb result for London and the coalition that has come together to deliver the bid. London 2017 was the number one event for us to bring to the UK post 2012 and we’ve achieved that. We have promised to deliver the greatest ever World Championships on behalf of our partners, the IAAF so the hard work must now begin.
Niels de Vos, Chief Executive of London 2017 and UKA, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the decision to award London the honour of hosting the 2017 World Athletics Championships. We want to repay the faith the IAAF Council has shown in us to ensure the 2017 World Championships are the best they can possibly be. We will learn from our colleagues and the next editions of the championships staged in Moscow in 2013 and Beijing 2015 and take on board their experience in hosting.
“It is a superb decision for the legacy of athletics in the UK and we are delighted that events next in 2012 will go towards inspiring young athletes to amazing performances in 2017.