World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has warned that London will not be considered as a host for major sporting events such as the World Athletics Championships due to its poor air quality. Speaking at a Wimbledon panel on the environment, Coe said the capital's air quality falls below the threshold his organisation now demands.
Coe, who led London's successful bid for the 2012 Olympics, said rising temperatures are forcing sports bodies to rethink their calendars. He highlighted the 44°C heat at the 2021 US Olympic trials in Oregon and noted that Paris, host of next year's Olympics, has experienced soaring temperatures in recent years.
The two-time Olympic gold medallist said that in the foreseeable future, road events like race walking and marathons at World Championships may be moved to cooler times of the year, potentially aligning with major marathons in London, Chicago or New York.
Gary Lineker, who chaired the panel, said football is not doing enough to adopt greener practices and called for a ban on private jets, though he acknowledged it is unlikely to happen. The discussion came a day after Just Stop Oil protesters disrupted two Wimbledon matches.
Heather Watson, former Wimbledon mixed doubles champion, said the protests were uncomfortable to watch and that players fear for their safety when unknown individuals run onto court.
