The BBC reports that U.K. Sports Minister Richard Caborn believes London is still trailing Paris in its bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. He told the BBC “I still think it’s (the 2012 Games) for France to lose. We’ve now a very good chance and laid a very firm foundation to go forward to the candidate final in November and the big decision on 6 July 2005”.
Caborn has been in Athens to help promote London’s bid and says the trip has been successful. “What we have done is convince people we are very serious. There’s a strong political commitment behind the bid and it’s technically competent. Many people who wanted convincing are convinced we can deliver now”.
Caborn added that Prime Minister Tony Blair’s presence in Greece was another feather in London’s cap. He said, “Tony Blair was incredibly impressed by what the Olympics can do for a country and city. I know he’ll be making sure wherever he can play a role he’ll be doing that. He’s absolutely 100 per cent committed to the program”.
Also interviewed on the BBC, British Olympic Association head Simon Clegg believes Britain’s medal winning performance in Athens and the support they’ve had will help the 2012 bid.
He said, “that, coupled with the quite unbelievable support that we’ve had from the British spectators out here, has sent a very, very strong message to the IOC”.
But back in London there seems to be another glitch that could affect its bid. Millions of tons of raw sewage have been spilling into the Thames River, at least three times this month, and there are fears that the pollution is jeopardizing the 2012 bid, reports the Independent newspaper.
The city’s deputy mayor is to meet with the Environment Agency.
Canoeists on the river are falling sick and last week the Health Protection Agency launched an investigation into whether the pollution is putting the public at risk.
Although there are no plans to use the river for events should London win the bid, the IOC pays close attention to the quality of the environment in bid cities.
