Leading architect for the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Ruben Reddy, believes that Premier League strugglers West Ham United need to remove the athletics track at the London Stadium if they are to enjoy an atmosphere comparable to that at football specific stadiums.

Problems have mounted for the Hammers since their move to the new stadium at the start of the new season. West Ham covered the athletics track with green material, but the fans are a substantial distance from the pitch, with the shape of the ground not that of a football specific stadium.




Security has also appeared to be a major concern with scuffles breaking out amongst some fans and complains over persistent standing.

Slaven Bilic's side have also suffered in terms of results, having lost three of the five matches they have played at the London Stadium so far this season.
 


And now one of the leading architects has come up with a solution to their problems, insisting that the only way out of the misery is to have the track removed. Reddy feels that it will be only then that the fans will have an actual feel for the stadium and start to recreate the atmosphere from the Boleyn Ground.  

relatedNewsStory

“They will have to change it. You will never get the atmosphere right as it currently is", Reddy was quoted as saying by the BBC.

“You shouldn’t keep the athletics track with the notion that some great athletics event is going to return.

"That is why I am saying that stadiums should not be looked at as multi-use with athletics and football.

"You can have football and rugby.

"If you want to keep an athletics track, put a cricket oval in there."

West Ham, who have obtained a 99-year lease on the stadium, have to be content with the fact that athletics events will have priority from the last Friday in June to the end of July each year.