LONDON 2012: Coe expresses delight after Olympic Stadium decision backs up his pledge to the IOC

By Sportsbeat staff

LONDON 2012 chairman Lord Sebastian Coe has expressed his delight at the decision to award West Ham long-term tenancy of the Olympic Stadium.

DELIGHTED: London 2012 chairman Lord Sebastian Coe expresses his delight after West Ham are selected as preferred bidder for Olympic Stadium (Getty Images)

When presenting London's bid for the 2012 Olympics, Coe pledged a long-term athletics commitment after Games - a move that is said to have swung a number of influential International Olympic Committee members in favour of the capital.

IAAF president Liame Diack was among those reportedly swayed by Coe's pledge and the London 2012 chairman will be mightily relieved West Ham have been selected as the preferred bidder, ensuring the athletics track will remain in the stadium.

Diack recently stated that should Tottenham's plans to remove the athletics track were outrageous and stated Coe and London 2012 bid team would have told a ‘big lie' should the track be removed.

And so Coe was understandably quick to praise the Olympic Park Legacy Company's unanimous decision.

"I am delighted with the decision that the Olympic Park legacy Company have recommended West Ham to take over the Olympic Stadium," said Coe.

"I would like to thank Baroness Ford and her team for conducting such a thorough process in what has been a highly competitive process."

Coe, who is an IAAF vice-president and is harbouring hopes of replacing Diack, has already been saved considerable embarrassment after London pulled the plug on their bid for the 2015 World Athletics Championships at the last minute last year.