World Championships 2005 in doubt

Sports Minister Richard Caborn has spoken out in defence of a British bid for the 2005 IAAF World Championships at the current tournament in Edmonton.

The bid, which has already been awarded to Britain on a preliminary basis, is still being dramatically overshadowed by the continuing procrastination and conflict regarding the location of the National Stadium.

As troubleshooter Patrick Carter continues his report into the options available for the National Stadium, pressure is mounting from the international sporting community for decisive action to be taken.

The three main contenders for the stadium are London, Birmingham and Manchester, although Birmingham (host of the World Indoor Championships in 2003) has previously failed in bids for major sporting competitions, and Manchester is already gaining a world-class facility in the new stadium for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

The IAAF has awarded the 2005 championships to Britain on the condition that London hosts the event - if another venue were chosen, the bidding procedure would have to take place again, risking the loss of the championship entirely.

Britain's success in hosting these competitions could decide the future possibility of a 2012 Olympic bid.

Caborn said that the government was keen to show its total commitment to the championships, adding: We will meet all the deadlines set by the IAAF.