London Diamond League meeting cancelled

The Diamond League athletics meeting due to be held at the London Stadium in July has become the latest event to be called off because of the coronavirus pandemic, after UK Athletics confirmed its cancellation on Tuesday.

UK Athletics said in a statement that “the decision has been made in light of the ongoing global pandemic, with the safety of all athletes, coaches, volunteers, spectators and members of staff, at home in the UK and abroad, the utmost priority.”

The league has called off meetings in Doha, an unspecified venue in China, Stockholm, Rome, Rabat, Eugene, Oslo and Paris, although an alternative athletics event is due to be staged in Oslo on June 11, the date of the originally planned meeting.

UK Athletics CEO Joanna Coates said that cancelling the London event “will have a significant financial impact on UKA and the wider sport.”

“The revenue we generate from events – through ticketing, broadcast and sponsorship helps administer the sport and provide the essential governance services that we oversee,” she said.