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2w ago

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

Hodgkinson, the reigning Olympic 800m champion, could be competing on home turf if the British bid for the 2029 World Athletics Championships is successful

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.