The prospect of West Ham United being able to transform London Stadium into a ground more conducive to football fans has grown after it emerged that UK Athletics have held preliminary discussions around quitting their 50-year deal to stage events in East London.
As first reported by the Telegraph, UKA are in talks about receiving a one-off payment to step away from their right to host events in the publicly-owned stadium. No agreement is imminent, a source close to the process told Mirror Sport, but there is optimism that an agreement can be struck.
Recent track and field events at the venue have failed to draw significant crowds and this summer’s Anniversary Games has been relocated to Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium, which has been redeveloped ahead of this year’s Commonwealth Games. The departure of athletics from London Stadium would bring fresh scrutiny around the legacy of the 2012 Olympic Games.
