Tottenham Hotspur and Leyton Orient are both to apply to the High Court for a judicial review over the decision awarding West Ham United to move into the Olympic Stadium after 2012.
Since the announcement was made in February that West Ham were named as the preferred bidder Leyton Orient’s chairman, Barry Hearn, has been vocal in his dissapointment with the decision – threatening to take legal action on several occasions.
“I never make empty threats! We will shortly apply to the High Court for judicial review and take action against the Premier League for ignoring their own rules.”
However, Spurs are now intent on taking the Olympic Park Legacy Company to court over a “number of concerns” regarding the decision, according to the BBC.
A club statement released by Spurs today (30th March) read: “The Club’s lawyers have written letters to the OPLC, the Mayor of London, the Minister of Sport and the Secretary of State for Local Government and a separate letter to the London Borough of Newham raising a number of concerns with the processes which led to the award.
“Tottenham Hotspur will determine its next step as and when it receives a response to these letters.”
It is unclear at this stage what the exact concerns are, but it is thought it is over the process the OLPC followed in order to make the final decision. Whereas the O’s biggest concern is that their future may be in jeopardy due to the Hammers’ plans to heavily discount family and season tickets.
Although not popular with all fans, Hearn took over as chairman in 1995 and his investment saved them from the edge of bankruptcy in the same year.
“I have a duty to protect my football club and its 135 year history. I believe West Ham’s occupancy of the Olympic Stadium and its plans to either give away or heavily discount tickets will seriously affect Leyton Orient’s chances of survival at their current level.
“We believe their policy is against the competition laws of Europe and the UK under the predatory pricing rules.”
The OPLC named West Ham as the preferred bidder as they plan to keep in place the athletics track whereas Spurs’ plans involved removing the track and re-building part of the stadium. But with a £40 million loan from Newham Council to help pay for the stadium, potential relegation this season to the Championship and 60,000 seats to fill in the Olympic Stadium, the Hammers have been left with very little other option than to offer reduced rate tickets.
The legacy of the stadium – to keep athletics at the core post 2012 – was part of the promise that Britain made to the International Olympic Committee that won London the bid, but the legacy of the stadium and its reputation is slowly being dragged into disrepute because Tottenham and Leyton Orient are unwilling to accept the final decision.
The Olympic Stadium farce continues.