7msports > Athletics Video > Eugene awarded the 2021 IAAF World Athletics Championships
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Intro:
The USA will host the IAAF World Athletics Championships for the first time after Eugene in Oregon was awarded the 2021 event on Thursday (16 April).Script:
SOUNDBITE (English): Lamine Diack, IAAF President:
"We have a normal procedure, opening bids, waiting, selecting and so on, but this time we said having this opportunity, I said we ought to make a decision, and I was happy to see my council members following to say yes. It's not usual, without an open bid for that, we have to give it to Eugene, to give the possibility to a city where athletics is like a religion, which is ready to build a good facility for the United States, the first one ever."
SOUNDBITE (English): Sebastian Coe, IAAF Vice-President:
"The Council made a strategic decision that this was a very special moment, that strategically we do need to be in the United States. It's always been a problem for us to engage both commercially and sportingly in the US, although US athletes are very strong, very high profile athletes, getting domestic athletics in the United States, particularly around world championships, has always been a problem, so I think the Council made the right decision, that this was probably not going to happen again in the way that it was on offer today and we should seize the moment."
SOUNDBITE (English): Vin Lananna, head of the Eugene Bid Committee:
"Well, holding the Worlds in the United States, a place where US athletes do so well on the world stage and finally having an opportunity to be on your home field, is a tremendous opportunity, tremendous opportunities for opening up markets, tremendous opportunity for the sport of track and field and I think for the United States, this will ignite the passion for the sport of track and field worldwide."
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Eugene awarded the 2021 IAAF World Athletics Championships
Friday, April 17 2015Category:Athletics