Olympic chiefs hit back over football fears at 2012 venue

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A damning document from sports consultancy firm PMP Legacy dating back more than three years - but only uncovered today - warned the Olympic Board against a top-flight club co‑existing with an athletics facility.

The PMP report, commissioned by the Olympic Board, states: "It was our professional opinion that the commitment made to athletics precluded its use as the home ground of a football club in the Premier League."

It said any groundshare with a top-flight club would give athletics insufficient access and, at a 60,000-seater stadium, prove "too big, resulting in poor ambience and minimal atmosphere".

However, the Olympic Development Authority, the body responsible for developing and building the new venues for the London Games, defended the planned tie-in with West Ham.

A spokesman said: "The ODA's task was to design and build the stadium following the bid commitment to athletics and to a brief agreed by the Olympic Board. We have finished ahead of schedule and within budget.

"The risk that potential legacy operators would not accept a track around the pitch was mitigated by good design. The result is a stadium which is intimate and very compact with the spectators close to the field of play which has achieved support of football, cricket and athletics [all on record as part of the West Ham bid]."