Sprint champion Usain Bolt could return to the Olympic stadium on the first anniversary of the Games after Chancellor George Osborne announced a tax break for overseas athletes.
The Jamaican and other foreign stars will be able to compete tax-free in this year’s London Diamond League event on July 27 after a “one-off” exemption was agreed.
Mr Osborne granted an amnesty to ensure that triple Olympic champion Bolt, right, takes centre stage on the anniversary of the opening ceremony.
With the exception of the Olympics, Bolt has not raced in Britain since 2009 because tax rules for foreign sports stars would leave him out of pocket. Mr Osborne said: “The Government is determined to do everything possible to secure the Olympic legacy and I am delighted to grant this exemption.”
Bolt’s London-based agent, Ricky Simms, said: “It’s good news for the Diamond League meeting and British sport in general. The rules were discouraging a lot of the top stars from competing in the UK.”
Mr Simms added that Bolt had signed contracts to compete in various events around the world this summer and he would talk to the sprinter about adding London to his programme. “It’s London and it’s the Olympic Stadium again so it obviously has an attraction.”
