Barry Hearn: London 2012 Olympic Stadium is not fit for football

By David Gold

February 20 – Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn has claimed that the London 2012 Olympic Stadium “is not fit for football.”

Hearn (pictured) is fiercely opposed to the idea of East London rivals West Ham United moving to the Stadium after the games as he fears it would threaten the existence of his club.

West Ham had won the initial bid process last year for the stadium but, amid legal challenges from Leyton Orient and Tottenham Hotspur, the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) withdrew from negotiations with the Championship side.

A new tender process in search of a tenant for the ground is currently underway with official bids required to be submitted by March 23.

That move by the OPLC secured the future of the running track at the Stadium, which some have said is not suitable for football, but helped London secure the right to host the 2017 World Athletics Championships.

London promised that the Stadium would be purpose built for athletics and would retain its running track when awarded the 2012 Olympics in Singapore seven years ago.

And Hearn, speaking to Sky Sports News, said: “The more I look at the Stadium, the more and more convinced I am that it is not fit for football purposes.

“I have to say after my tour of the Stadium, wonderful Stadium though it is, I don’t think it is good for football.

“No-one has actually taken responsibility or admitted they have built the ‘wrong’ stadium.

“They didn’t listen to advice five years ago when everyone was telling them what kind of stadium can work.

“We have to face these problems and be honest.

“Let’s use some common sense otherwise it is going to be a horrendous white elephant.

“We have seen that happen around the world, let’s hope it does not happen to London.”

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