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UK Athletics slam 'unacceptable' proposals to move Anniversary Games away from London Stadium over £3m costs... with bosses adamant it would be a 'travesty' if athletes were denied a send-off before the Olympics

UK Athletics have become engulfed in a stand-off with London Stadium bosses over ‘unacceptable’ proposals to relocate this summer’s Anniversary Games.

The London Legacy Development Authority have offered to cover the costs of moving the July 13 event elsewhere as a means of avoiding a potential £3million black hole.

That is approximately the cost of converting West Ham’s home stadium from its football configuration to athletics, with 20,000 spectators anticipated for the meet.

UK Athletics have critised proposals to move the Anniversary Games away from the London Stadium
The Games are due to take place on July 13 ahead of this summer's Olympics in Tokyo

Ordinarily the impact of that sum is lessened by staging other events including concerts, but pandemic restrictions mean the Anniversary Games is the only non-football booking between the current and forthcoming West Ham seasons.