London 2017 World Athletics bid gets Olympic boost

Mo Farah is among the high-profile supporters of London's 2017 World Athletics Championship bid

Eight out of 10 London 2012 track and field ticket holders would want to attend a World Athletics Championships staged in the capital five years later.

A survey found that 80 per cent of those that were successful in Olympic ticket applications would want a return visit to the Olympic Stadium, if London was successful in beating only rival Doha to stage the 2017 edition of the world’s third biggest sporting event.

UK Athletics is locked a tough race with the Qatari Gulf state ahead of Friday’s host city election in Monaco.

Chief executive Niels de Vos has highlighted the guarantee of strong ticket sales, plus the fact a London championship would be more commercially viable for sponsors and broadcasters, as a key part of his bid strategy.

“This is a massive show of support for a World Championships in London from sports fans across Britain and the world,” he said.

“We expect to fill the Olympic Stadium for every single session morning and evening and this survey of 2012 ticket holders validates our belief that we can do this.

“If we are given the honour of hosting the World Athletics Championships in London the athletes competing in the Olympic Stadium will do so in front of a full, passionate and knowledgeable crowd.

“A full stadium for every session in an iconic venue such as London’s Olympic Stadium will provide the world’s media with an incredible backdrop to the on track drama.”

© Sportsbeat 2011