The year 2005 will be a memorable year for officials of London’s successful bid for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. First they won the Games and now fourteen members involved with the project have received recognition in the New Year’s honours, including three knighthoods, two CBEs, three OBEs and six MBEs.
Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London 2012 team, has been made a knight commander to add to the life peerage he received in 2000. He will now be known as Lord Coe KBE.
Keith Mills, London 2012 Vice Chairman, is now a knight, and the third knighthood went to Craig Reedie, former chairman of the British Olympic Committee, (BOA).
Simon Clegg, chief executive of the BOA and Dick Palmer, Technical Director, London 2012 are CBEs and the OBEs include Mike Lee, Director of Communications, London 2012; Mike Power Chief Operating Officer, London 2012; Catharina Reynolds, Olympic Games Unit, Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Also six members of London 2012 have been awarded MBEs.
Coe said, “I’m both delighted and proud that members of the bid team have been acknowledged in this year’s honours list. Every member of the 2012 team played a crucial role in taking the bid across the line in July. I’m delighted our efforts have been recognized in this way”.
Mills said he was honoured by his knighthood. He said, “I would like to think that I will share this recognition with a fantastic team, because without a spectacular team none of this could have been achieved”.
And Reedie called it a wonderful end to a wonderful year. He said, “the work of the BOA and the London 2012 team resulted in winning the biggest prize of all, the 2012 Olympic Games”.
