Moscow, Jul 16: With 25 days to go until the athletics world championships in Moscow, the organizers said Tuesday that all sports facilities are ready and tickets are selling.
A new track was laid at the Luzhniki Stadium and all practice facilities and grounds were renovated for the world championships, which is set for Aug. 10-18.
The low attendance at athletics events in Russia is a concern, but the organizers voiced hope that there will be no empty spots and that all 35,000 seats for each session will be occupied.
The ticket prices vary from 100-3,500 rubles (about $3-$108).
"The prices are more than moderate," said Alexander Polinsky, executive director for the organizing committee.
He said that an extensive advertising program on television, in newspapers and on the subway -- to be launched next week -- would help attract the public.
Almost all tickets have been sold for the first weekend in which Usain Bolt is expected to run in the 100-meter final, while more than 70 percent have been sold for the second weekend.
"IAAF expects that the 5 billion audience mark set at the previous championships in Daegu, South Korea, two years ago will be exceeded," IAAF general secretary Essar Gabriel said.
