Roger Bannister statue: Seb Coe joins call for Iffley Road siting

Following the death of Eino Romppanen, a Finnish sculptor behind the life-size bronze figure, a chorus of voices have asked for the statue to be given a prominent position at the track where the remarkable feat was first achieved.

The late Sir Roger who was a student at Oxford University and later the master of Pembroke College, is depicted in his iconic pose, crossing the line at the Iffley Road Sports Centre, which has since been renamed in his honour.

Lord Coe labelled the location ‘the obvious place’ for the statue and paid tribute to Mr Bannister, who died earlier this year, aged 88.

READ AGAIN: Tributes from across the world as Sir Roger's death announced 

The President of the International Association of Athletics Federation and former Chairman of the British Olympic Association told the Oxford Times: “As far as I am concerned, in athletics, he is the stand-out figure of his generation.

“It would strike me as that Iffley Road would be an obvious place to put the statue.

“Roger was an Oxford man through and through, I knew him well.”

Mr Coe also stressed that the views of the families should be considered but noted that everyone in athletics, ‘from the Americans to the Kenyans’ knows that Iffley Road is where the first sub-four minute mile was run.

The 1954 achievement has been dubbed the ‘greatest ever’ in athletics.

Heidi Romppanen, the sculptor’s daughter, said now was an ‘opportune time’ - in the wake of her father and Mr Bannister’s deaths - to honour them both by bringing the work to Oxford permanently.

She said: “My father felt that this sculpture belonged in the UK, and more specifically, at the site that inspired the feat.

“My father was invited to visit Mr Bannister at his home, to create the clay model of Roger's face.

“The sculpture not only memorialises Mr Bannister's feat, but illustrates the technical excellence of my father as an artist and sculptor.”

Sir Clive Booth, the president of Oxford Civic Society, echoed the sentiments, adding: “The great man was associated with the running track on Iffley Road and it would be a really great idea for the statue to be there.

“Somewhere inside the sports centre would be good for a private space, but a kink in the fence and putting it on the public side of the Iffley Road would be best.

“I don’t think there is an argument for it to go anywhere else.”

Mr Booth said Oxford had very few statues in the city centre and that it did not seem quite right to put this one in the Westgate Centre or somewhere similar.

He continued: “It’s something the public wants to be proud of and to remember.

"I think it is very appropriate for somebody in the University, or one of the colleges he was associated with, to put the money together."

Oxford has a bronze statue of Dr John Radcliffe, while there are also plans to immortalise author Colin Dexter.

The Bannister statue, called ‘Paradigm’ and valued at around £90,000, is currently on loan to the Royal Russel School in Croydon.

It was completed in 2005, after the two men spent a morning together in Oxford in 2004.

John Bicourt, a friend of Mr Romppanen who set up the meeting, said: “It would be a great pity if the statue did not end up where it should belong: at the track.”

He has approached both the University and the leader of Oxford City Council about buying the statue, but the vice-chancellor of the University said it was ‘not in a position’ to purchase the item, which it labelled ‘extraordinary’. Mr Bicourt, himself an Olympian, has not heard back from the city council.

In a statement, the University said simply: “Sir Roger Bannister achieved distinction on the running track, in neuroscience research and as Master of Pembroke College, and we are proud that the University’s running track is named after him.”

Oxford City Council leader Susan Brown refuted Mr Bicourt's version of events and said: "We replied to Mr Bicourt and referred him to the university.

"The City Council is proud of the achievements of Sir Roger and the global recognition that he brought to Oxford. We celebrated his sub-four-minute mile in May 2004 by conferring on him the Oxford Freedom of the City award and have this year proposed to name a city ward after him, if the city’s new boundary changes are confirmed.”

Merton College, where Sir Roger studied, said it would be ‘broadly supportive’ of bringing the statue to Oxford ‘in principle’. Exeter college, where he was an undergraduate student, and Pembroke, were also offered to chance to comment.

Mr Bicourt hopes that a private benefactor may take up the call and gift the item to the track, which is owned by Oxford University.

He continued: “It would be a terrible shame - given that many other noted sports people have statues – if there isn’t a similar one in his own town for future generations.

“I am sure it would be greatly appreciated far and wide to have the statue at the Iffley Road track for all current and future generations of sports people to remember his marvellous achievement.”

Oxford Preservation Trust were unavailable for comment.