HOST OF STARS TO GIVE LONDON A MISS

Athletics World cup organisers face a major headache ahead of the event’s inaugural edition in london this summer with several of the sport’s leading names set to stay away.

Sportsmail can reveal that Us sprint sensation christian coleman and south African star Wayde van Niekerk will miss the team event, which is being staged on July 14-15 at the london stadium. there is also uncertainty over the participation of caster semenya and Jamaica’s double Olympic sprint champion elaine thompson. Britain’s leading track talent laura Muir is unlikely to race. A combination of scheduling conflicts, injuries and gripes over the lack of appearance fees is at the root of the issue. Van Niekerk’s absence is particularly unfortunate for the organisers, who had quoted an endorsement from the Olympic 400m champion when the event was launched in February. it was reported earlier this month that he would return from a serious knee injury in July, but his manager Peet van Zyl has revealed to Sportsmail that he is highly unlikely to compete again in 2018. Figures within the sport have privately questioned the timing of the event. it falls one day after the Friday Diamond league meeting in Rabat, Morocco, and finishes five days before the Monaco Diamond league, which itself falls a day before the Anniversary Games in the london stadium on the weekend of July 21-22. coleman, the fastest man in the world last year, is planning to run in Paris and lausanne at the start of July and then at the Anniversary Games. there is also consternation that no appearance fees are to be paid. instead, the finances on offer will come from a prize pot of more than £1.4million. One male and one female athlete from each of the eight nations will compete in all track and field events up to 1500m.