8 Feb 2013

London track meet drops taxes on athletes

6:45 am on 8 February 2013

The Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt and other overseas athletes will be able to compete tax-free in this year's Diamond League athletics meeting in London's Olympic Stadium, thanks to Britain's Minister of Finance agreeing to a "one-off" exemption.

Bolt, who won three golds at last year's London Games, hadn't previously raced in the UK since 2009 because of tax rules which would have left him out of pocket.

The London meeting has been switched from its traditional Crystal Palace home to the Olympic Stadium to mark the first anniversary of the Games on July 27, and it's expected to be an 80,000 sellout, although Bolt has yet to confirm his attendance.