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British athlete Keely Hodgkinson has poked fun at West Ham over their reluctance to give up the London Stadium for the 2029 World Athletics Championships. Hodgkinson, who recently won the World Indoor Championship 800m, took to social media to express her thoughts on the matter.In a lighthearted post, Hodgkinson suggested that the GB team would bring back more medals to the London Stadium than West Ham has seen in its entire history. This comment came in response to reports that West Ham's stance could jeopardize London's bid to host the championships.Sebastian Coe, the World Athletics president, has expressed his desire to hold the 2029 championships in September as a finale to the athletics season. However, West Ham is hesitant to give up the London Stadium for approximately three weeks, citing their football season commitments.The dispute has garnered attention from athletics fans, with many supporting Hodgkinson's comments. West Ham fans, on the other hand, have expressed mixed reactions, with some finding Hodgkinson's remarks disrespectful.The London Stadium, which hosted the London Olympics in 2012, has been West Ham's home since 2013. The club has a contractual right to prioritize their games during the football season. Lord Coe has commented on the matter, stating that he believes West Ham's deal is favorable.Other cities, including Rome, Munich, Nairobi, and an Indian city, are also interested in hosting the 2029 World Athletics Championships. The final submissions from bidding cities are due in early August, with a decision expected in September.

London's bid for the 2029 World Athletics Championships is facing a significant challenge due to West Ham's refusal to allow their stadium to be used in September. Sebastian Coe, the head of World Athletics, has expressed concerns that this stance could scupper the bid, despite strong backing from the UK government and the mayor's office.World Athletics has specified that the championships should be held as the grand finale to the athletics season, typically in September. However, West Ham United has a 'contractual right' ensuring their games take priority during the football season and has shown no indication of changing their stance.“It's really difficult for me because I have a view, but I have to be scrupulously neutral, because London is clearly not the only bid out there,” said Lord Coe. “All I would say is that I would hope that there is a recognition that outside the Olympic Games and the World Cup, this is the third-largest sporting gathering in a four-year cycle.”Coe also mentioned that staging the championships earlier in the summer to avoid clashing with the football season is not a viable option, as it would contradict the organization's goal of concluding the athletics season with the championships.The initial deadline for bids for both the 2029 and 2031 world championships is 3 April, with final submissions due on 5 August. The winning cities will be announced in September.