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Eugene awarded 2021 World Athletics Championships

Xinhua, April 16, 2015 Adjust font size:

The International Association of Athletics Federations council proved here on Thursday to award Eugene of the United States the 2021 World Championships without a bidding process.

It would be the first time for the United States, one of the most historically successful countries in athletics, to host the IAAF's premier competition.

Lamine Diack, IAAF president, who retired on August before the Beijing World Championships, admitted at a news conference that it was some kind of "parting gift" for the United States and added that it was also "a gift" for himself.

"In granting the championships to Eugene the IAAF Council have made a clear choice on a strategic decision that enables us to take advantage of a unique opportunity that may never arise again, whereby public authorities, the private sector, the national Olympic Committee, NBC and a particularly enthusiastic public are joining forces," commented Diack.

According to IAAF, the city from the State of Oregon had failed in the bidding of the 2019 edition to Doha, Qatar, last November before paying a big effort to move the IAAF in recent months by combining the commitment of the funding by the governor of Oregon with the support of the U.S. Olympic Committee and the commitment of NBC to produce and broadcast in cooperation with Universal Sports the championships live across the country.

"Although this decision departs from the usual procedure, I am delighted that my council colleagues understood the enormous opportunity presented to us to access a key market and have taken a decision in the interest of the global development of our sport," Diack added.

Beijing will host the 2015 edition in August before the World Championships goes to London in 2017. Endi