"It's an extremely prestigious and worthwhile event."
Birmingham will bid to host the 2029 World Para Athletics Championships, despite concerns that it could cost up to £6 million to host the event.
If successful, the championships would take place at Alexander Stadium, with the council hoping to build on the legacy of the 2022 Commonwealth Games and further establish the city as a major destination for international sporting events.
The proposed bid has received support from Paralympic sprinter Ndidikama Okoh, who said she was “so excited” about the possibility of the championships coming to the city where she began her para athletics journey.
However, the plans have raised questions over affordability, with government-appointed commissioners overseeing Birmingham City Council’s financial recovery warning councillors to consider whether bidding is the right decision and if the money could be better spent elsewhere.
The commissioners said the decision to proceed with a bid was “conditional upon securing a minimum 50% contribution from external partners”.
Jex Parkin, Leader of the Reform UK Group on Birmingham City Council, said:
“It’s an extremely prestigious and worthwhile event.
“But I do share the commissioners’ queries regarding costs and priorities, particularly so soon after Birmingham hosted the 2022 Commonwealth Games.”
Deborah Harries, the Liberal Democrat cabinet member for culture, acknowledged that councillors would be “rightly focused on affordability and risk”, but argued that the championships could deliver “substantial” economic benefits for the city.
Okoh, who has lymphoedema, a condition that causes swelling, believes Birmingham would be a fitting host for the event.
She said: “Birmingham did a really good job of hosting the Commonwealth Games, so it’s nice to see that we’re going to potentially get more opportunities.
“It’s a really good opportunity to showcase what para athletes can do.”
She also highlighted the city’s diversity as a particular strength, pointing to the range of communities, cultures and food available to international visitors.
Beyond the sporting opportunities, Okoh believes hosting the championships could have a wider impact on the city’s para sport community.
She said Birmingham already had a strong community of people involved in para sport and that staging the event would have “a social impact as well”.
A council report said the championships could help cement Birmingham’s position as the UK’s home of athletics while strengthening its reputation as an inclusive destination.
The event would also form part of an increasingly busy calendar of major sporting occasions for the city, which is preparing to host the Invictus Games next year and matches during Euro 2028.
According to the report, hosting the World Para Athletics Championships could bring additional visitor spending, support local jobs and create volunteering and apprenticeship opportunities.
