Athletics legend Cram says Meadowbank must be kept

FORMER world 1500m champion Steve Cram today said UK athletics "can't afford" to lose a facility like Meadowbank Stadium.

The legendary middle distance runner, who set three world records in 1985 and won two gold medals at Edinburgh's 1986 Commonwealth Games, urged the city council to invest in suitable replacement facilities.

Earlier this month, councillors voted to bulldoze Meadowbank and sell off a third of the land for housing. A new complex, including an athletics track, will be built on the remainder of the site for around £25 million.

But speaking ahead of this weekend's World Cross Country championships in Holyrood Park, Cram told the BBC: "It's always a shame when something like that is lost. We can't really afford to lose sport facilities, especially in the middle of big cities.

"OK, it's seen better days but we need to continue to invest in places and make sure they're of a certain level of standard. Then, hopefully, young people will want to go there and take part in sport."

Cram won both the 1500m and 800m (pictured above) gold medals at Meadowbank Stadium in 1986.

Nicknamed "The Jarrow Arrow", he set world records in the 1500m, 2000m and the mile during a 19-day period in the summer of 1985. He was the first man to run 1500m under three minutes and 30 seconds, and won the 1500m gold medal at the 1983 World Championships, and the 1500m silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games.

Cram's son Marcus, who studies in the Capital, is a member of the Edinburgh Athletic Club.

Veteran athletics coach Bill Walker, a leading figure in the Save Meadowbank Campaign, said today: "Steve Cram is right. Sport gives discipline to youngsters, and by taking away facilities, it is going to create more problems. The city council isn't aware of the value of sport. We have got a lot of talent in Edinburgh, and the council should try to encourage that."

Cram also said there is a "really good crop of youngsters" currently running in Scotland.

Council officials are to produce a fully-costed plan for the future of Meadowbank by late autumn.

So far, they have recommended replacement facilities with sports halls, changing facilities, a gym and fitness studio, indoor athletics and a 5000-seat stadium.

But no mention has so far been made of replacing the popular football pitches, and there will also be calls for martial arts and gymnastics provision.

A city council spokesman said today: "It's not the case that a facility will be lost, but rather replaced with a modern sports complex that will meet high sporting standards.

"Councillors have also made a commitment to retain an athletics track at Meadowbank so there should be no concern there."