The International Association of Athletics Federations' vice-president Lord Sebastian Coe says there's no reason for shot put to be taken off the Olympic athletics programme.
Lord Sebastian Coe speaking at an event in Auckland. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
It's been suggested shot put could be under threat, along with race-walking and triple jump as the International Olympic Comittee try to compact the athletics schedule to make way for more sports.
Lord Coe was in New Zealand to meet with the country's sport officials six months before the presidential election in which he is a candidate.
He says removing events from the Olympic programme isn't the way to grow the sport's appeal and it's up for the world's athletics federations to decide which events should make up the sport.
Lord Coe says one of the main challenges facing athletics is trying to get young people more involved and says they need to find ways to engage with them better.
