Both London and Doha say they would not consider hosting the 2019 world championships as a part of a possible IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) deal to satisfy both bidders for the 2017 event.
The British and Qatari capitals are vying for the 2017 championships, with the decision is set to be made tomorrow in a vote of the IAAF in Monaco. Because both cities are strong candidates, the IAAF has been considering a deal to also award the 2019 championships.
But the executive director of the Qatari bid, Abdualla Al Zaini, says he is "not considering any other date" than 2017 while London bid chairman Ed Warner says the financial commitments can not be switched and "we are in no position" to accept the 2019 event. Meeting organisers, meanwhile, say the IAAF needs to strike a balance between taking athletics to new markets and maintaining the sport's popularity in Europe.
"We love our colleagues from Doha … but the championship will have been quite a bit outside of [western] Europe by then and we think it would be good if we could have it back here and show that level of athletics to the European public again," said Patrick Magyar, meeting director of Zurich's Weltklasse.
Magyar, said that while the IAAF had a duty "to promote athletics as a worldwide presentation", choosing Doha over London could hit the sport's exposure in Europe.
"If athletics loses popularity in its strong markets, and we are part of the strong markets in Europe, then obviously that will have an affect.
Rajne Soderberg, the Stockholm meeting director, said the IAAF could not afford to keep the showpiece away from western Europe for long.
Soderberg, who is chairman of Euromeetings, a group representing top European one-day meetings, said that if Doha emerged victorious the next event, in 2019, needed to return to Europe.
""It is best to have it in Europe ... there is more spectator interest and if you stay away from Europe for too many years it could affect that interest."
* Reuters
