Olympian Keeley Hodgkinson has angered West Ham United fans over the London stadium being used for the 2029 World Athletics Championships.
Premier League The club have reportedly blocked use of the stadium, which was originally built for the 2012 London Olympics, because it would conflict with the football season.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe wants the 2029 World Championships to be held in London in September, but the capital’s bid is in jeopardy after the East London club refused to vacate its grounds for almost three weeks at the start of the football season.
Olympic gold medalist Hodgkinson, who won the World Indoor Championships 800m final on Sunday, wrote on X: “Team GB will bring more medals back to that stadium than West Ham has seen in its entire history.”
The lifelong Manchester United fan is the reigning Olympic champion in the 800 meters after winning gold at the 2024 Paris Games.
Overall, she has won two Olympic medals and also won a silver over the same distance in 2020 and is a two-time European champion as well as the indoor record holder in the 800 metres.
But the 24-year-old’s comments didn’t sit well with some Irons fans.
One supporter posted: “Show some respect for West Ham who are a fine institution with decent people who support them. Cheesy laughs and not a good look.”
Another objected to Hodgkinson’s calculations: “Strictly speaking, every player gets a medal for winning a trophy. So that’s more medals than you could ever dream of in the whole of history.”
West HamThe last major title came in 2023, when they won the Europa Conference League – Europe’s third-tier club competition.
In the club’s more than 130-year history, they have won nine major trophies, including three FA Cups and one Cup Winners’ Cup triumph.
‘Two-way challenge’
Hodgkinson’s post also received support from Athletics fans, with one writing: “Just when you thought you couldn’t love Keely any more, here she comes with a bombshell tweet.”
Another called his post a “tweet equivalent to a two-way challenge.”
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London The stadium was originally built for the 2012 Summer Olympics, and hosted several events at those Games, before becoming the home of West Ham after the club left their former ground, Upton Park, in 2016.
The Hammers acquired the tenancy of the Olympic Stadium in 2013 and currently rent the ground, but retain priority during the football season.
The 68,000-capacity stadium has hosted athletics competitions, including the World Championships and the Diamond League meet in 2017.
