Athletics-Stockholm loses Diamond League status

Stockholm's prestigious Bauhaus Galan athletics meeting will lose its Diamond League status, organizers announced on Friday, citing a decision by the sport's governing IAAF to re-organize the season.

"We now have the possibility to arrange exactly the competition we want, without being steered by directives from the Diamond League," meet director Jan Kowalski said in a press release. "We can decide what events to have in the Bauhaus Gala ourselves, and not have a number of events assigned to us as previously."

The meeting recently signed a new five-year deal with sponsors Bauhaus, which guarantees them the economic resources needed to continue, organizers said. As part of a general overhaul of the Diamond League series, the IAAF is cutting the number of events to 13, including a new single-night final in Zurich.

The proposed changes are set to be ratified by IAAF officials in their meetings next week ahead of the world championships in Doha.

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