He has been forced to deny a report that he is uncomfortable about the prospect of Boris Johnson, the Conservative candidate, replacing Labour's Ken Livingstone, who has held the post since 2000 and is seeking a third term in office and who Coe worked closely with during London's successful bid to host the 2012 Olympics.

 

A senior aide to Livingstone had allegedly told the BBC that Coe and David Higgins, the chief executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority, were concerned about the future of the Games under a Tory administration.

 

A spokeswoman for Coe has now said that he is happy to work with whoever is elected on May 1.

 

She said: "This is complete fabrication..

 

"We have had constructive and positive conversations with all three main candidates for the Mayoral elections and are confident we can have a very good working relationship with all of them.

 

"Any suggestions to the contrary are categorically untrue.

 

"Those comments were not made."