He hit back at report from London Assembly's Economic Development, Culture, Sport and Tourism Committee published on Wednesday that claimed the failure to so far attract an anchor tennant for the stadium left it "in danger of becoming a white elephant".

 

Coe said: "I find this a rather bizarre conversation.

 

"The construction of our Games was predicated on a very simple concept. If you have an existing facility, particularly an iconic one, use it.

 

"If you have the need to build new venues then build them in a way that they can be used afterwards. If you can't fit either one of those assignments then you build temporary.

 

"So that is what we've done."

 

Coe, a double Olympic 1500 metres champion, has been instrumental in backing plans for the Stadium to be downsized from 80,000 after the Games to a 25,000-seat athletics arena.

 

He said: "When I sit here listening to any of the discussions about legacy I am heartened because actually we got there first and secondly if you are going to leave an 80,000-seater stadium in the centre of East London then you will have some serious legacy issues and that is why we wanted a [much smaller capacity] facility with track and field at the centre.

 

"Zurich have just rebuilt a stadium - 25,000 seats - and over the course of a year you have the Rolling Stones, you have European football matches because surprise, surprise, Europeans don't seem to have this problem with playing inside a running track.

 

"And let me remind people that the last three editions of the Champions League final have all been played within the confines of a running track and I haven't noticed any lack of enthusiasm or atmosphere.