Michael Payne, former head of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) marketing department, said that the hosting of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games will depend less on the candidate cities’ transport links and more on an ability to recreate Sydney’s Olympic “magic”, reports the London Telegraph.
And he believes that judging by the criteria London stands a very good chance.
Payne said “much has been made about the visits by the evaluation commission to the bid cities. But for a lot of the members the report is a little bit like an insurance policy. You keep it in the drawer and check to see a city is not a risk if you give it the Games”.
According to Payne, New York, which has had problems constructing its main Olympic stadium, could force members to do just such a check.
Payne added, “for many members New York’s problems will bring back ghosts of Atlanta. It was the problems with Atlanta’s Olympic stadium and finding the money for it that prevented the technology and the transport being tests. The technology crashed, the transport did not work, and the city ambushed the organizing committee. And in New York there is no government undertaking. New York will get the Games, but not in 2012.”
As for what makes the magic of the Games, Payne said “it’s the Olympic park – as in Sydney, Athens, Barcelona and Seoul.
“You walk outside the main stadium and, without going into any venues, you feel the spell of the Olympics. London has proposed an Olympic park, as has Madrid. Paris has its stadium, which is a big plus, but where is its Olympic park? In a close-run race like this, that could be crucial.
According to the newspaper Payne feels the race for 2012 is “the most open in living memory for the Summer Games”.
