A former Olympian has ruled himself out of the London mayoral race, despite once being hotly tipped for the role.
Lord Sebastian Coe has told ITV News that his career in front-line politics is now 'over', dashing hopes that he would be the Conservative candidate to replace Boris Johnson in 2016.
The decision by the double gold medal winner has opened up the field to a number of other Conservative candidates for the role, including current deputy mayor Stephen Greenhalgh.
Lord Coe said: 'I see my political career on the front line as being over. I will always be physically inquisitive and occasionally active but I really have no ambitions to do anything of that nature.
'My sport is calling me. My passion is my sport, I owe everything to my sport, I've been involved in sport man and boy for the largest part of my life.
'If I'm in a position to shape the future of my sport, of course, why would I not want to that. That is my number one priority.'
He added that 'sadly, not even Boris' could now convince him to stand for the London mayoral role.