British Sports Minister Richard Caborn says the full democratic process would be observed before the British government gives their full backing to London’s bid for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
Caborn said debates in parliament and cabinet must take place before deciding to underwrite the potential two billion-pound costs.
He was reacting to International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge comments Monday when Rogge said if there was any feeling of reluctance on behalf of the British government, the bid would be “doomed to fail”.
Rogge also said that if London bid for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, it would be a front-runner.
Caborn said, “Jacques Rogge is going to say that isn’t he? He wants as many people competing for 2012 as possible”.
On Tuesday Rogge was in Melbourne Australia where he said he believes Australia is capable of hosting another Olympic Games. But he stopped short of supporting a short-term bid following the Sydney 2000 Games and the 1956 Games in Melbourne.
Asked if Melbourne was capable of hosting the Olympics again, Rogge said, “definitely the answer is yes, but would Melbourne want to do it is another issue, which I cannot discuss.
“You have the size of a city, you have the infrastructure and you have the country, as was proven in Sydney, that is capable of organizing the Olympic Games.
“Whether there is a bid, whether you would win the bid is another issue but the capability is there, there is no doubt about that”, he said.
