Sheffield switch is ruled out by IAAF president

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Athletics does not deserve this stab in the side

Leading article: Do we care whether we have a national stadium?

The Government's suggestion of switching the 2005 World Championships to Sheffield following their abandonment of the plan to build a stadium in Picketts Lock, north London, was swiftly turned down yesterday. It came as no surprise to anyone.

The Culture Secretary, Tessa Jowell, and Sports Minister, Richard Caborn, met officials of the International Association of Athletics Federations as they arrived for this weekend's World Half-Marathon Championships in Bristol. But they were told by the IAAF president, Lamine Diack, that the venue could not be moved as the championships had been awarded specifically to London.

A spokesman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport commented: "Mr Diack said they do not have the constitutional authority within the IAAF to move the championships so they will have to re-open the bidding process."

Thus the way is now open for London's rivals Berlin, Sydney, Budapest and Stuttgart to press their claims at the next IAAF Council meeting in Monte Carlo on 26-27 November.

The IAAF's refusal to countenance this late switch was entirely predictable, as they have been emphasising the fact that the championships had to be in the capital for the last four years.

The Government's decision to pull out of the Picketts Lock venture after a review conducted by troubleshooter Patrick Carter had identified rising costs and transport problems came under more heavy fire from within the sporting establishment. "It would be funny if it wasn't so sad," said the double Olympic gold medallist Sebastian Coe.

It was revealed that Adrian Metcalfe, chairman of the UK Sport's major events steering group, had written to Jowell on Wednesday pleading with her not to give up the London project and warning of "possibly disastrous ramifications" to Britain's future prospects of attracting future events. "Well-laid plans to extend British influence in international sport will be seriously undermined," he added.

Jowell defended the Government's decision yesterday, claiming that it was an ultimately beneficial one. "There is a danger in holding a Games in London which is not of the highest quality. It imperils the chances of bidding for the Olympics in 2012 and 2016. It is infinitely better for those chances if we show we can host a top-class international event. I wanted London to host the Games. To show the world what it can do when it puts on a show. But not at the price of starving athletics everywhere else in the country and not unless it showed London in the very best light."

Tomorrow Bristol attempts to show itself in optimum conditions as it hosts a championship that has not taken place on English soil since the inaugural event in Newcastle in 1992, which was won by Scotland's Liz McColgan.

Paula Radcliffe, Britain's world cross-country champion, will be attempting to emulate McColgan with a win on home ground as she defends the title she won 11 months ago in the searing heat in Mexico.

Radcliffe missed the Bupa Great North Run in order to concentrate on this race, and returned last Thursday week after spending three weeks training at altitude in Font Romeu. Last weekend she knocked 22 seconds off her own course record in the Southern Road relay and she believes she is in the best possible shape to win again.

Among her main opponents are the Kenyan pair of Susan Chepkemei, holder of the world's fastest half-marathon time of 65min 44sec, and Joyce Chepchumba, twice winner of the London Marathon. Ethiopia's world 10,000m silver medallist Berhane Adere, who finished two places ahead of Radcliffe in Edmonton two months ago, is another threat.