World Championships awarded to Paris (2003) and
London (2005)
World Indoors awarded to Birmingham (2003) and Budapest (2004)
3 April 2000 - Paris, France - The IAAF Council has unanimously agreed to award the IAAF World Championships in 2003 to Paris and in 2005 to London, underlining its long term strategy of awarding the most important event of the IAAF World Athletic Series to cities of international fame.
The impressive Stade de France, in Paris' St Denis district, will be configured as a 70,000 seat stadium for the Championships in 2003. Space for approximately 3000 athletes and officials has been reserved in the Cite Universitaire - with a direct, secure, rail link to the Stadium and an expected journey time of 15 minutes.
Press facilities in Paris will also be excellent, with a 2,400 seat capacity press stand and a press centre of approximately 1700 square metres built into the Stadium itself.
Following the announcement of Paris as host for 2003, Marie-George Buffet, the French Minister for Youth and Sport, who was a member of the presentation team, said: "I am delighted with this announcement. It is excellent news for French sport and I would like to thank the IAAF President and Council for the confidence it has shown in Paris. This Championships is a partnership and counts on the full support of the State, the Regional Council of Ile de France, the Mayors of Paris and St Denis as well as the dedicated efforts of the French Athletics Federation. But most importantly, I believe that this World Championships will be seen as an event for all - and will be built on a spirit of fraternity and of sport as a major educational and life-enhancing pursuit."
IAAF President Lamine Diack said: "This is a great moment for me because, in a way, I am also a product of French sport and recall that, 40 years ago, I was here in Paris hoping to represent France in the Rome Olympics later that year. As we were able to see for ourselves on Saturday, the Stade de France is magnificent and I am confident that our friends will organise a superb edition of the World Championships."
The Council was also unanimous in awarding the next edition of the World Championships to London. In this case, a 50,000 capacity stadium, designed specifically for athletics, will be built in Lee Valley in the London borough of Enfield. The Council were convinced by a presentation team including the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Chris Smith, representing the British Government, the Chairman of the UK Sports Council Sir Rodney Walker, the President of UK Athletics David Moorcroft and the Chairman of the London 2005 Bid Committee Len Hatton. "This is great news for athletics in the UK," said Smith. "There is no doubt that British sport in general, with its great traditions, will now benefit from the enthusiasm that major championships generate."
IAAF President Lamine Diack said "My colleagues on the Council were particularly satisfied that the London bid now means that a major stadium will now be designed specifically for athletics. This will be the first time in the history of the World Championships that an event is held in a venue designed only for our sport."
At the end of the morning session, IAAF Council also heard presentations from two candidates for the2003 World Indoor Championships, Birmingham and Budapest. However, with a World Indoor Championships now taking place in 2004, Budapest volunteered to host that event, and Council unanimously agreed to accept that proposal, and to award Birmingham the 2003 edition.