Special Olympics officials have vowed all the venues will be in top condition by the time athletes arrive.

It comes after concerns about the state of the area outside the entrance to the Saffron Lane Sports Stadium.

Although facilities inside the centre are of a high standard, potholes, weeds and graffiti can be seen in the car park outside – with just three weeks to go until the opening ceremony for the event.

Craig Sabin, of the Leicester Coritanians running club, said: "The track in itself is lovely but the general appearance outside is a bit shabby.

"It's off-putting, especially to people visiting the city for the first time.

"For people to turn up and see that, it doesn't look good."

Freemen ward councillor Dale Keeling, who made an official inquiry to the council about the conditions, said: "It doesn't look good on the city – the nation's eyes are going to be looking at Leicester, and this is going to be televised.

"We need to buck our ideas up a bit more if we want to do things on a national stage."

One Leicester Mercury reader said: "I drive past the venue every day, and can't believe that this event is actually going to be staged there, with the place in its current state. The area around the entrance to the stadium is an utter disgrace."

But bosses say improvements will be made, and that the venue will soon be up to Olympic standard.

Games director Steve Humphries said the majority of the improvements would take place in the week leading up to the opening ceremony on July 25.

He said: "It's all being taken care of. The Saffron Lane centre won't look like it does now when the athletes arrive for the Games – it will look like a sports centre should look to host such a prestigious event.

"Each venue will be branded and there's a lot of infrastructure work going on, at some venues more than others.

"They'll be shipshape for when the athletes arrive."

In March the Leicester Mercury reported that organisers were £1m short of meeting the £2.9m cost of the Games.

Mr Humphries said this had made no difference to work due to be carried out at Saffron Lane.

The venue will be decked with branding in the Special Olympics colours – orange, blue and white.

The inner car park at the venue has recently been resurfaced to improve the look of the area.

Sally Grundy, sports facilities and events director for the Games, says areas in the main car park that cannot be improved will be screened.

She said: "That will be the main route for pedestrians and it has all been checked out by health and safety."