Athletics-London becomes latest Diamond League meeting to be called off

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 meeting was due to take place on July 4-5. Its cancellation means the first event on the Diamond League schedule will now be held in Monaco on July 10.

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. The other events are officially suspended with a "new date to follow", according to the League's website.

UK Athletics CEO Joanna Coates said that canceling 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 government services that we oversee," she said. 

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