England’s Euro 2004 players are being touted as ambassadors for London’s 2012 bid. Talks have already taken place between London 2012 officials and the Football Association, but negotiations won’t be complete until after the European Championship in Portugal.
Reports say talks have taken place between Football Association officials and bid organizers about the possibility of using David Beckham and his team to promote the campaign.
It’s also reported that bid chairman Lord Coe is expected to announce that former Tory deputy Prime Minister Michael Heseltine will become an ambassador to use his business contacts in the Far East to drum up support from Asian members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). There are no cities in the running for the 2012 Games from Asia.
Bid rivals Paris and Madrid plan to use sports figures as ambassadors for their bids.
On Sunday Lord Coe announced that bid communications director Mike Lee is to become his special adviser while Sport England chairman Lord Patrick Carter is to head a new body dealing with the legacy of the Games.
Meanwhile, London Mayor Ken Livingstone, seeking re-election Thursday, wants to be London’s mayor for at least two more terms and help London win its 2012 bid.
He said “I’m loving this job and that’s why I’m fighting to keep it. The Olympic bid will transform London and I want to be part of that”.
