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Clegg: Football and Athletics Not Compatible At 2012 Stadium - Ipswich Town News

Town chief executive Simon Clegg says he believes the Olympic Stadium cannot be both the home of a football club and a track and field venue after the 2012 London Games. The 51-year-old was the chief executive of the British Olympic Association before joining the Blues.

Clegg, who has previously backed West Ham’s proposed occupancy, said: "It is quite obvious that the only viable model for the stadium is to have a football club as an anchor tenant.

"I am very clear that it is not compatible to have football and track and field athletics in the same stadium in this country. Football fans in this country want to be as close to the action as possible.

"I articulated this to Sebastian Coe a couple of years ago but the issue has become even more acute for me since I have been involved in a club.

"The West Ham option would be a huge challenge and I don't think it would work. The entire bid was based on the principle of sustainable legacy and not creating white elephants and only 17 months out from the Games we have still not resolved the thorny issue of future of the stadium.

"It's madness to suggest we should keep a track just on the basis we may get an athletics world championships or European championships say once every 15 -20 years."

Clegg says Spurs’ plan to build a dedicated football ground on the Olympic Stadium site with a new athletics venue elsewhere is preferable: "It does seem to me the best solution for the Olympic Stadium would be Tottenham's proposal, but on the proviso of a track and field legacy elsewhere in east London rather than Crystal Palace, which is in the wrong place and where public transport links are not good.

"For me the East End must have a sustainable athletics legacy and it would need to be another new site in east London."

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