The local organisers of the world cross country championships in Dublin, who lost the right to host them on Tuesdaybecause of the foot and mouth outbreak, were given a much-needed boost today when the sport's governing body, the IAAF, awardedthem the 2002 renewal.
The Swiss town of Lausanne had bid for them but they were given the 2003 event instead."The Irish asked for it and the IAAF Council saw no problem with that," a spokesman said.
The putative dates for the championships are the weekend of March 16/17, though given that it is the St Patricks Day holiday weekend and theIreland v England Six Nations match this season was purposefully switched to the weekend as the city couldn't cope with the expected visitors itcould well be subject to change.
Paris won the right to host the end of season Golden League Grand Prix finals for next year - though it will be at the Charlety Stadium, whichhosted the Golden League Grand Prix in 1999 but saw it wrested away and moved to the much larger Stade de France in 2000.
Full list of major athletics events announced by IAAF today:
World Cross country championships
2002 - Dublin
2003 - Lausanne, Switzerland (March 29/30)
2004 - Brussels (March 20/21)
2005 - Le Mans, France (March 19/20)
Half-marathon World Championship
2003 - Vilamoura, Portugal (October)
Grand Prix Final
2002 - Paris (Charlety Stadium, date to be announced)
World Youth Championships
2003 - Sherbrook, Canada (July)
AFP