Athletics: Sheffield 'had no chance' - Radcliffe

Great Britain women’s team captain Paula Radcliffe claims Sheffield never had a chance of staging the 2005 World Championships after London dropped out of the running.

Britain’s slim hopes of hosting the event disappeared after Sheffield yesterday announced it had pulled out of the running to bid for the event.

The city was hoping to pick up the baton from London - the original hosts - after plans to stage the championships in the capital were scrapped because of the long-running fiasco to build a stadium at Pickett’s Lock.

The Government finally pulled the plug on that project because of the cost - a total of £220m would have been needed for the stadium and related infrastructure - and the timescale involved for transport improvements.

But Radcliffe believes the International Amateur Athletics Federation would only approve an English bid if London was to be the host.

‘‘It is disappointing because it would have been great to have staged the World Championships here and been able to compete in front of a home crowd,’’ she said

‘‘I think, however, with the IAAF it was a case of ‘London or nothing’.

‘‘It is sad that we have not been able to put a bid together.’’

It was hoped the championships could be switched to Sheffield’s Don Valley Stadium, which would have had a new stand built, with athletes able to take advantage of £30m invested through the English Institute of Sport in a new indoor running track and sports medicine and coaching facilities.

However, UK Athletics chief executive David Moorcroft admitted Sheffield’s chances of hosting the event - even if the Yorkshire city had entered the bidding were bleak.

Moorcroft said: ‘‘It was agreed unanimously not to go ahead with the bid.

‘‘It was not a case of whether Sheffield could put on a good games. Everyone felt, in the current situation, it would be extremely difficult to win the nomination in April.

‘‘Therefore it was decided not to bid and just get on with life.’’