ATHLETES UNITE TO CALL ON GOVERNMENT TO BACK 2029 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS BID
More than 100 of Britain’s top athletes sign letter to PM to support bid Once in a lifetime chance to inspire a generation and create £400m national economic and community impact legacy
More than 100 of Britain’s most celebrated athletes have today written to the Prime Minister urging the UK Government to seize the golden opportunity to bring the World Athletics Championships back to London in 2029.
In a powerful open letter published today, Olympic champions, global medallists and rising stars speak with one voice — calling on the Government to back the bid to host the world’s biggest athletics event at the London Stadium. Between them they have won in excess of 750 medals at international championships, more than 300 of them gold.
Among the signatories are many legends of the sport from Sir Mo Farah, Keely Hodgkinson, Dame Kelly Holmes, Jonathan Edwards, Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Paula Radcliffe, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Dina Asher-Smith and Daley Thompson — representing generations of excellence, united in their message: this is a once-in-a-generation chance to inspire, unite, and deliver lasting national legacy.
The athletes’ intervention adds further weight to the London 2029 campaign, led by Athletic Ventures, the joint venture between UK Athletics, London Marathon Events and the Great Run Company. The bid proposes a world-class Championships at the London Stadium, requiring a one-off injection of public funding in 2028 and promising more than £400 million in national economic impact.
“This is the moment to deliver something extraordinary,” said Hugh Brasher, Event Director of the London Marathon and co-founder of Athletic Ventures. “London 2029 is not a risk; it’s about return on investment for the UK. Generations of athletes know the inspirational power of a home Championships, but this is about more than medals. It’s a vision for what this country can achieve.
“With government support in 2028, we will deliver the greatest World Championships yet: commercially robust, community powered, and globally resonant. It is set to deliver more than £400 million in economic and community impact across the UK. The time to act is now.”
But the athletes warn that without swift government backing, the opportunity may pass. Their open letter reminds Ministers that home events create “once-in-a-lifetime” moments for athletes and fans alike — and leave legacies that “live on in communities, schools, and families for years to come.”
“This is a bid rooted in credibility and ambition,” said Jack Buckner, CEO of UK Athletics and co-founder of Athletic Ventures. “We know what home support can achieve and when our greatest athletes from past and present are unified with one message, their call should not be ignored.
“With London 2029, we have the chance to deliver a World Championships that lifts the nation, inspires the next generation, and showcases Britain at its very best. We’re ready. Now we need the Government to stand with us.”
The 2029 bid process is due to commence this summer, with organisers urging Ministers to commit in the coming weeks to secure the Championships for the UK.
The letter is signed by: Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Eugene Amo-Dadzie, Amber Anning, Dina Asher-Smith MBE, Jeremiah Azu, Steve Backley MBE, David Bedford OBE, Roger Black MBE, Tom Bosworth MBE, Joe Brier, Darren Campbell MBE, Taylor Campbell, Alastair Chalmers, Melissa Courtney-Bryant, Steve Cram CBE, Linford Christie OBE, Lynn Davies CBE, Charlie Dobson, Eilidh Doyle, Jonathan Edwards CBE, Hannah England, Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Sir Mo Farah, Jacob Fincham-Dukes, Innes FitzGerald, Sir Brendan Foster, Jason Gardener MBE, Phoebe Gill, Neil Gourley, Robbie Grabarz, Dai Greene, Sally Gunnell OBE, Toby Harries, David Hemery CBE, Louie Hinchliffe, Sophie Hitchon, Keely Hodgkinson MBE, Dame Kelly Holmes, Matthew Hudson-Smith, Zharnel Hughes, Georgia Hunter Bell, Tim Hutchings, Colin Jackson CBE, Katarina Johnson-Thompson MBE, Hannah Kelly, Josh Kerr, Richard Kilty, Morgan Lake, Imani-Lara Lansiquot, Dame Denise Lewis, Mark Lewis-Francis MBE, Scott Lincoln, Christian Malcolm, Eamonn Martin, Jenny Meadows, Kissiwaa Mensah, Eilish McColgan, Liz McColgan MBE, Katharine Merry, George Mills, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, David Moorcroft OBE, Laura Muir, Ashleigh Nelson, Laviai Nielsen, Lina Nielsen, Daryll Neita, Jade O’Dowda, Christine Ohuruogu MBE, Victoria Ohuruogu, Lawrence Okoye, Anyika Onuora, Alan Pascoe MBE, Ben Pattison, Jo Pavey MBE, Asha Philip, Andrew Pozzi, Reece Prescod, Charlotte Purdue, Paula Radcliffe MBE, Sam Reardon, Jemma Reekie, Michael Rimmer, Martyn Rooney, Greg Rutherford MBE, Tessa Sanderson CBE, Goldie Sayers, Wendy Sly MBE, Katie Snowden, Kelly Sotherton MBE, Andrew Steele, Danny Talbot, Iwan Thomas MBE, Chris Thompson, Daley Thompson CBE, Andy Turner, Laura Turner-Alleyne, Steph Twell, Lorraine Ugen, Laura Weightman, and Jake Wightman. (108 total)
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Liz Birchall, UKA, [email protected] or +44 (0) 7718 526363
Penny Dain, London Marathon Events, [email protected] or +44 (0)7799 170433
NOTES TO EDITORS
Athletic Ventures
Athletic Ventures is a joint venture comprising UK Athletics (UKA), The Great Run Company (GRC) and London Marathon Events (LME) created to transform the future and growth of athletics in the UK and to deliver major athletics events.
The three organisations will jointly galvanise the commercial potential of the sport, offering opportunities from grassroots activities to national events and the UK athletics GB & NI teams at major championships in an innovative ‘playground to podium’ sponsorship programme.
Athletic Ventures will also deliver the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, the annual edition of the Diamond League in the UK, the UK Athletics Championships, the UK Athletics Indoor Championships, and will lead the bidding process for the World Athletics Championships to return to the UK in 2029.
European Athletics Championships 2026:
As the jewel in the crown of events organised by European Athletics, the biennial European Athletics Championships are the showcase of the very best that the continental branch of the sport has to offer.
The 2026 European Athletics Championships will be held at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, from 10-16 August 2026.
This will be the first time the UK has ever hosted the European Athletics Championships.
About UKA
UK Athletics is the National Governing Body of the leading Olympic and Paralympic sport in Britain. British Athletics is the sport we represent, the people, the athletes, the fans, the team.
We work closely with the Home Country Athletics Federations (HCAFs) to develop and grow all areas of the sport including elite performance, coaching, major international events, competition and grassroots programmes within schools and clubs.
Find out more: www.britishathletics.org.uk and uka.org.uk
About London Marathon Events
London Marathon Events (LME) organises a series of mass-participation events inspiring more than 200,000 participants every year. Its portfolio of world-class events includes the world’s most popular marathon. The mass participation events are:
The Bath HalfBrighton Marathon WeekendTCS London Marathon and TCS Mini London MarathonStandard Chartered Great City RaceThe Big Half, New Balance Big Relay and The Big MileSwim SerpentineVitality Westminster MileVitality London 10,000The Royal Parks Half
The London Marathon is the world’s biggest annual one-day fundraising event and has now raised more than £1.3 billion for thousands of charities since the first edition in 1981.
London Marathon Events gifts its surplus each year to the London Marathon Foundation (the operating name of The London Marathon Charitable Trust, a registered charity (283813) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England & Wales (01550741), registered office: 190 Great Dover Street, London, SE1 4YB).
Since 1981, the London Marathon Foundation has made grants totalling in excess of £110 million to more than 1,700 projects in London and across the UK that help people to become and remain active.
About The Great Run Company
Our passion and expertise is major mass participation sports events and live television sports coverage.
Founded by Sir Brendan Foster in 1981, the Great North Run has grown to be the world’s biggest half marathon. 60,000 runners enter each year, with a roll of honour featuring the world’s greatest athletes. This year, the AJ Bell Great Run Series will see hundreds of thousands of runners take to the streets of cities across the UK, and tens of thousands of children taking part in Mini and Junior events.
In addition, we stage the Arla Great North Swim, in Windermere, the 13 Valleys Ultra in the Lake District, and other long-distance races across the UK.
FilmNova, the TV production arm of the business, produces coverage of a wide variety of sports for broadcasters and rights holders in the UK and across the globe, including BBC Sport, UEFA, Channel 4, World Triathlon, and the Boat Race.
