The British Indoor Championships are set to go ahead in 2021, despite the continued threat of coronavirus ©British Athletics

The British Indoor Athletics Championships are set to take place in 2021, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, after UK Athletics were granted a funding boost.

UK Athletics' chief executive Joanna Coates confirmed the UK Sport Business Continuity Fund had granted the extra financial support to the tune of £394,000 ($512,000/€437,000).

The Championships will be part of the trials for the European Indoor Athletics Championships, currently scheduled to take place in Torun in Poland from March 5 to 7.

The British Indoor Grand Prix - held in Glasgow in 2020 - is yet to be confirmed, according to Athletics Weekly.

Both of the United Kingdom's Diamond League events were cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with these being the Anniversary Games in London and the British Grand Prix in Gateshead.

"We bid into the UK Sport Business Continuity Fund and we were successful in that so our indoors - we don't know about the Grand Prix yet - but certainly our indoors will take place," said Coates.

"Our trials will definitely take place.

"Huge thanks to UK Sport.

"Even if we don't sell a ticket we can still put that event on, which is fantastic news for the sport.

"Athletes are desperate for that and because we know it's not going to place any financial burden on the organisation and UK Sport have backed us, we'll definitely have an indoor trials.

"I honestly think if an arena opens and people can go and watch live athletics, that would sell out within minutes, I would imagine."

The 2021 British Diamond League events could still be under threat because of the poor financial situation of the national governing body in the UK ©Getty Images
The 2021 British Diamond League events could still be under threat because of the poor financial situation of the national governing body in the UK ©Getty Images

Coates admitted that the Diamond League events for 2021 could be scrapped if they are not financially viable.

"We can’t set anything in stone because of COVID," she said.

"In July we really want to put the London one on (Anniversary Games) and everything we are hearing, we should be able to. 

"If anything happens and it means we can’t sell tickets for Gateshead, we cannot take a financial loss on that.

"We’ve said to the Diamond League to keep those two there (on the calendar) but they absolutely know we cannot take major losses. 

"UK Athletics have been losing money the last few years. 

"I want to get to a cost-neutral position at the very worst. 

"If running an event like that will put us in a poorer financial position, we will not do it. 

"However, if a broadcaster desperately wants it and they will pay us money then of course we will do it."

These trials at the British Indoor Athletics Championships could also qualify athletes for the re-arranged World Indoor Athletics Championships too, due to take place from March 19 to 21 in Nanjing in China.