BRITISH athletics legend Brendan Foster has joined the city鈥檚 bid to host the 2022 , saying 鈥楤irmingham deserves it鈥.
The long-distance champion runner and former TV commentator believes Birmingham should be selected AND become the centre of 海角视频 athletics.
鈥淐learly, Birmingham deserves to win the bid,鈥 he says, 鈥淏irmingham is head and shoulders above anywhere else.鈥
As founder of the Great Birmingham Run and the forthcoming Birmingham International Marathon, Brendan is already familiar with the city.
He knows first-hand our ability to stage major athletics events 鈥 and had no hesitation in joining .
And as an Olympic bronze medallist and Commonwealth 10,000m Champion he has valuable experience of major sporting events.
to become the 海角视频鈥檚 candidate to host the 2022 Games, and both have been visited by the judging panel in the past two weeks.
鈥淲e have two great sporting cities vying to host the Commonwealth Games,鈥 says Brendan.
鈥淚f it was the Champions League final, a round of the World Cup or other football event then you might say Liverpool deserves it. It鈥檚 a great football city.
鈥淏ut athletics is at the centre of the Commonwealth Games and here Birmingham has the advantage.
鈥淭he city is already hosting the Diamond League, the twice, and the British championships.
鈥淭he only athletics venue that can rival Birmingham鈥檚 offering is the Olympic Stadium in London. But since it became a football stadium there are all sorts of costs involved with staging athletics in London.
鈥淭he only place which can stage international athletics in this country is Birmingham.鈥
He adds that with , Birmingham already has a strong athletics tradition.
Under plans unveiled by the Birmingham bid, Alexander Stadium would be upgraded from 12,700 seats to 40,000 seats for the Games.
Afterwards, it would be scaled back to a permanent 25,000 capacity and would become the home of 海角视频 athletics.
鈥淏irmingham is an ambitious, vibrant city with a great sporting heritage and I believe the ideal location to host such a prestigious global event,鈥 Brendan added.
Other would include the Barclaycard Arena, Genting Arena, the NEC, Symphony Hall, Villa Park, the University of Birmingham and Coventry鈥檚 Ricoh Arena, together with a , plans for which were already underway.
Brendan believes the Commonwealth Games would be a great opportunity for Birmingham and praises the team who have developed the bid.
He had already been impressed by council deputy leader Ian Ward when Birmingham secured the 2018 World Indoor Athletics Championships against stiff competition and has been working with council sports bosses to organise the inaugural Birmingham International Marathon in October.
Ian Ward, who is chairing the bid says: 鈥淲e鈥檙e delighted to have Brendan backing the bid. It鈥檚 fantastic to have someone of his stature and reputation in the world of sport on board.
鈥淚t is a definite vote of confidence in Birmingham.鈥
