IAAF head rebukes Beijing on ticket sales for world champs

MONACO (AP) The head of the IAAF says Beijing needs to work harder to sell tickets for next month's world championships.

IAAF President Lamine Diack says the ''advertising and promotional activities'' for the sport's marquee event are ''too low key.''

Diack says China had promised 100 percent capacity for evening sessions at the Aug. 22-30 championships in the ''Bird's Nest'' stadium.

But he says only half the tickets have been sold so far for some evening sessions.

Diack says Beijing needs to ''work very hard in the remaining weeks,'' adding that ''we have no time to lose now.''

Diack says he had supported Beijing's bid because ''it would allow China to unleash the huge potential of athletics in China.''

He says: ''I call on all our partners in China to support us to achieve these goals.''

Diack's public rebuke Friday came two weeks before Beijing goes up against Almaty, Kazakhstan in the vote for the 2022 Winter Olympics.