Levy goes on offensive over Games stadium

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy says there is no moral obligation to retain a running track in the Olympic Stadium after the 2012 Games and claims a Spurs takeover of the venue would make the country money.

Spurs are bidding against West Ham – who would keep the track – to take over the stadium and have faced criticism from those who say London should honour the promises made to the International Olympic Committee when they were awarded the Games. But Levy, who warned Spurs fans to put emotions to one side and embrace the proposed move if the club is to find a permanent place among football's elite, said London's original plans for the Olympic Stadium had already been proved unworkable.

Levy said: "There is no moral argument to retain the running track. Any bid process sees commitments made and then things change.

"From the viewpoint of the taxpayer and therefore the government, a lot of money has been spent on the Olympics and it is important the taxpayer is not asked to put more money into it in the future. We will actually be providing significant returns to the taxpayer through lease payments."