The International Association of Athletics Federations(IAAF) president Seb Coe is keen to support Kenya's bid to host the 2025 World Athletics Championships.
Kenya is understood to be preparing the bid to host the biannual global event which has never been staged in Africa since its inception in 1983.
Yesterday, Coe who was recently re-elected to serve a second term during the Congress held in Doha, Qatar said he is aware of Kenya’s desire to host the event.
In a meeting with the Kenyan journalists who are covering the ongoing championships here at the Khalifa International Stadium, the Briton said he is keen to have the event held on African soil.
Kenya successfully hosted the IAAF World Cross Country in March 2007 in Mombasa and 10 years later, the World U-18 championships were staged at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani.
The 60,000 seater multi-purpose facility is pencilled to host the World U-20 Championships next year in July.
Coe heaped praises on the successes of the 2017 junior event which was on record for attracting commendable attendances.
“We have always supported the idea of the world championships being held in Africa. We are positively aware of Kenya’s idea of hosting the 2025 edition. The country was successful in 2007 and 2017 and we are waiting to receive their bid through CAA. The attendance in events held in Africa has always been top,” said Coe.
Last Sunday, Athletics Kenya President Jackson Tuwei had said that Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed had written to IAAF to consider Kenya for a bigger championship following the success in 2017 and the final preparations for next year’s contests.
Meanwhile, Coe was impartial on the doping topic which saw some Kenyan athletes locked out of the ongoing championships including the 5,000m duo of Michael Kibet and Daniel Simuyu who were set to represent the country in the 5000m race.
