Keely Hodgkinson has playfully mocked West Ham United after the club's refusal to vacate the London Stadium threatened London's bid for the 2029 World Athletics Championships. The Olympic 800m champion responded to a social media post about the dispute, writing: 'The GB team will bring back more medals to that stadium than West Ham have seen in their entire history.'
The 24-year-old, who won the World Indoor 800m title on Sunday, added emojis suggesting laughter and affection. Her comment drew supportive reactions from athletics fans, with one describing it as 'the tweet equivalent of a two-footed challenge'. However, some West Ham supporters deemed it disrespectful.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has prioritised holding the 2029 championships in September as a season finale. But West Ham, who have a contractual priority for football matches during their season, are unwilling to give up the stadium for approximately three weeks. The club secured tenancy of the taxpayer-funded venue in 2013, a year after it hosted the London Olympics.
Coe, a former Conservative peer, noted that West Ham's deal was favourable, saying: 'I think they would have been pretty satisfied with that deal.' Other potential hosts include Rome, Munich, Nairobi and an Indian city. Final bids are due by early August, with a decision in September.
Hodgkinson has six senior gold medals across Olympic, World and European championships, while West Ham have won five major trophies, including three FA Cups and the UEFA Conference League.
