The outgoing president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), Lamine Diack, has described the just-concluded World Championships in Beijing as wonderful and praised its hosts.

He made the statements at a press conference in conjunction with the Local Organising Committee (LOC) on yesterday's final day of action.

Guests included Diack, IAAF president elect, Sebastian Coe, IAAF General Secretary Essar Gabriel, LOC executive chairman and assistant director of general administration of sport of China, Gao Zhidan, LOC deputy chairman and director of the athletic administration centre of general administration of sport of China, Du Zhaocai, and LOC executive secretary general and vice minister of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports, Chen Jie.

Increased spectators

"The IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015 have been wonderful," opened Diack, who spoke about the spectator number in the stadium, the increased TV audiences of these championships and also the IAAF's medical and anti-doping programme in Beijing.

"The testing figures are interim data. We will confirm full anti-doping statistics by press release on Tuesday (tomorrow) but this is the most comprehensive testing programme of any sport in the past two years," emphasised Diack.

"More than 650 blood tests were conducted at the athletes' hotels prior, and during, the World Championships. More than 520 urine tests conducted at the stadium and at the hotels," he added.

IAAF president elect, Coe, announced major increases in the IAAF website and social media audiences over the previous edition of the championships two years ago in Moscow.

"The IAAF's strategy to attract a younger audience to athletics via the online promotion of the sport has received a massive boost in Beijing. The IAAF's responsive website, which fits on any device, has got users around the world," said Coe.