Following published reports that Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair broke the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Code of Ethics by speaking about the Olympics at a meeting in Nigeria two weeks ago, a leading international sports administrator disagreed.
Mike Hooper, Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation who was at that meeting, said Blair did not promote London’s bid for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in comments he made.
He said Blair focussed his comments on the success of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester last year, and did not use the occasion to promote London’s bid.
Hooper said Monday, “in now way did he push or plug the London bid. I was there. I heard what the Prime Minister said.
“The Prime Minister referred almost entirely to the success of the Commonwealth Games held in Manchester in July 2002. The only reference he made to London 2012 was that the success of Manchester 2002 had given the British Government confidence to support London’s bid”.
Craig Reedie, head of the British Olympic Association and an IOC member, also said the Prime Minister’s comments were directed at the success of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
The IOC’s ethics commission has accepted the explanation and no action will be taken against London 2012.
