by Stuart WeirThe pandemic has taken its toll on all parts of life. The Wanda Diamond League is no exception. In this column, Stuart Weir takes a look at the 2020 abbreviated season, and suggests the complex reasons why the meet was cancelled.
Gateshead 2013, photo by Getty Images / British Athletics
The announcement that the Müller Grand Prix Gateshead (normally Birmingham) Diamond League has been cancelled comes as no surprise at all. Originally scheduled for 16 August and re-scheduled for 12 September, the event will now not take place. The cancellation is particularly sad for Gateshead which was hosting the event because the Alexander Stadium, Birmingham is being revamped for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The Joint statement from Gateshead Council and British Athletics said: “It is with sad news that we announce that the proposed Müller Grand Prix Gateshead due to take place this September, has now been officially cancelled.
“The government measures brought in earlier this year due to COVID-19 have ultimately prevented the progress of the much-needed upgrade of the facilities at the Gateshead International Stadium. Time has ultimately defeated us to ensure that International athletes can not only compete in a safe manner but can also compete to their full potential using world class facilities.
“We will continue to work together to achieve our ambition of returning International Athletics back to Gateshead next year.”
The announcement comes as no surprise as Jo Coates, UKA CEO had previously told RunBlogRun that it was not viable to hold the event without spectators, which UK law would require, explaining: “Economically it makes no sense. We are not football. We don’t have those massive broadcast rights. The late announcement reflects the British Athletics policy of keeping “optimistic until the point where we are told we have to cancel. That’s what we did with the Műller Anniversary Games we were later than most in cancelling because we wanted to hold on to the thought that potentially we might have something this year. Commercially we need to put on those events”
The remaining 2020 Diamond League events – at this point – are:
Monaco | 14th August 2020 |
Stockholm | 23rd August 2020 |
Lausanne | 2nd September 2020 (WDL exhibition event) |
Brussels | 4th September 2020 |
Naples | 17th September 2020 |
Shanghai | 19th September 2020 |
Doha | 9th October 2020 |
China2 | 17th October 2020 (venue tba) |
a little background reading….
Jo Coates is the new CEO of UK Athletics. To understand and appreciate where UK Athletics is going, please check out Stuart Weir’s 4 part interview of the new CEO of UK Athletics.
1. Jo Coates, Interview, 1/4, by Stuart Weir
2. Jo Coates, Interview, 2/4, by Stuart Weir
3. Jo Coates, Interview, 3/4, by Stuart Weir
4. Jo Coates, Interview, 4/4, by Stuart Weir
