West Ham United have been asked to waive their tenancy rights for the London Stadium by UK Athletics (UKA) if the Anniversary Games clashes with Premier League football this summer.
Due to the coronavirus outbreak elite football in the UK has been suspended until at least 30 April and so the Premier League may continue beyond its original conclusion in May - if the current season does indeed resume.
The Anniversary Games, UKA's most lucrative event, is currently scheduled to be held between 4 July and 5 July but if the Premier League overlaps West Ham - as principal tenants - have primary use of the stadium throughout the football season.
The UKA Chief Executive Joanna Coates, speaking to The Telegraph, outlined her position on the matter, saying:
In March it was announced the 2020 Olympic Games would be postponed, and so Coates highlighted the added significance the Anniversary Games could take on in its absence, adding: “We’ve got athletes that have trained for an Olympic Games that they can’t now go to and we’re trying our best to make sure that they still have some form of competition.
“If it’s not safe for them then that’s fine. But it doesn’t seem wholly fair that football can have carte blanche - because of the money involved and broadcast deals - push every sport out.”
West Ham have declined to comment on the matter but Coates urged the club 'to be reasonable' and again highlighted the economic disparity between Premier League football and this athletics event.
Coates explained:
“We’d like to think that football, with all its money, if we cannot have one of our major commercial events that produces a lot of revenue for us, it would be nice to think there might be some compensation there.”
Source : 90min