Coe plays down 2012 Olympic stadium fears

By Martyn Herman

LONDON (Reuters) - Sebastian Coe said on Monday he was committed to leaving an athletics legacy in London's 2012 Olympic stadium despite speculation that it could be demolished to make way for a soccer stadium.

Speaking at the unveiling of the designs for the 2012 VeloPark, London's organising committee (LOCOG) chairman Coe said nothing had changed from the original bid.

"We made a commitment to the IOC to retain an athletics stadium after the Games and nothing that has happened changes that at all," Coe told reporters on Monday.

"Our design is for an 80,000-seat stadium during Games time and a 25,000-seater in legacy. That is what we have agreed and we are working on a range of options as to who will use the stadium after the Games."

A report in the London Evening Standard said there was a possibility that the 500 million pounds stadium could be flattened after the Games with a Premier League club building a purpose-built football stadium on the site.

West Ham United are the closest Premier League club to the east London Olympic Park but have ruled out a move to the stadium because it will retain an athletics track -- a feature that is unpopular with English soccer clubs.

A spokesman for London Mayor Boris Johnson said last week there were no plans to demolish the stadium.

"The mayor has made it clear on countless occasions that he envisages a long-term future for the Olympic stadium. Expensive facilities should not be built unless they have a viable future," he was quoted as saying by the Evening Standard.