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British athletes urge Starmer to pledge £45m for London’s 2029 World Athletics Championships bid

A £45m guarantee is needed by September to meet World Athletics’ formal expression of interest requirement

Overview

  • More than 100 medal-winning British athletes, including Sir Mo Farah and Keely Hodgkinson, have signed an open letter urging Prime Minister Starmer and Chancellor Reeves to back the London bid.
  • The bid hinges on a £45 million government guarantee for staging costs at London Stadium, with Mayor Sadiq Khan already pledging £10 million.
  • Organisers must submit a formal expression of interest to World Athletics by September to keep the UK in contention for the 2029 championships.
  • Supporters project the event could generate a £400 million boost to the economy through increased tourism and community engagement.
  • The letter was sent ahead of next week’s spending review as organisers aim to secure funding before Whitehall hesitation stalls the bid’s progress.