James"Thunder"Early
07-06-2005, 10:41 AM
http://www.guardian.co.uk/olympics2012/story/0,14174,1522509,00.html
London wins 2012 Olympics· Blair hails 'momentous day'
· UK bid beat France by 4 votes
· Lord Coe transformed 'joke' bid
Mark Oliver
Wednesday July 6, 2005
Guardian Unlimited
London today won the race to host the 2012 Olympic Games, beating the long-term favourites, Paris, at the finish line to secure one of sport's greatest prizes. The result, broadcast live to television audiences around the world, was announced by the International Olympic Committee president, Jacques Rogge, in Singapore.
Mr Rogge opened the envelope containing the name of the winning bid at around 1248 BST and told the hushed ballroom of the Raffles city complex: "The IOC has the honour of announcing the Games of the 30th Olympiad in 2012 are awarded to the city of London."
The result sparked jubilation in London's Trafalgar Square where supporters of the bid had gathered. In contrast, the crowds gathered at the city hall in a drizzly Paris reacted with dismay at the city's failure to win the games after bidding three times in the last 20 years.
Speaking at Gleneagles ahead of the G8 summit, the prime minister, Tony Blair, said he had been too nervous to watch the final stages of voting but had punched the air and "did a jig" when he heard the result. He called it a "momentous day" for London.
"I couldn't bear to watch [the final announcement]. It is not often in this job that you get to punch the air and do a little jig and embrace the person standing next to you," the prime minister said.
The UK capital beat Paris by 54 votes to 50 in the fourth round of voting after a secret electronic ballot of 115 members of the IOC. As expected, the voting went to a fourth round after first Moscow, then New York and Madrid, were eliminated in early rounds.
Lord Coe, the London 2012 bid leader, had earlier presented IOC members with a passionate final presentation in which he said a London games would show "magic happens", and inspire young people around the world.
The London games will be based in the east of the city where a large area in the Lower Lea Valley will be regenerated.
London's chances grew after no city won more than 50% of the votes in the first round, meaning there was no instant winner. The London 2012 tactic had been to court Madrid's supporters if the Spanish capital was eliminated.
Mr Blair, who left Singapore last night after three months of frenetic campaigning and two days of last-gasp courting of IOC members, had earlier promised work would start on preparing the games "within 48 hours" of a successful bid.
Today the prime minister said that Paris had a very strong bid but that London offered a great legacy for the city, the country and the Olympic movement. He admitted that when he arrived in Singapore London had only an "outside chance" and said the bid had succeeded because the British people were behind it.
Mr Blair denied the win would make the G8 summit starting tonight more difficult, with a disappointed French president, Jacques Chirac, learning the result while en route from Singapore to Scotland.
In a statement released by his office, Mr Chirac sent his congratulations to London and praised the "fair play" shown by the Paris bid team. The statement said: "The head of state congratulates the city of London ... he wishes good luck and full success to the British authorities and people in the organisation of the 30th Olympiad."
David Beckham and a host of sporting celebrities have been in Singapore pressing for a London games. London last hosted the Olympics in 1948 and will become the first city to host sport's biggest event three times.
An emotional Beckham was in the hall to hear the result. He said later that winning the games was an "incredible" victory.
Today's result is also a huge victory for Lord Coe, who has transformed a bid which was originally seen as something of a joke. In an IOC evaluation report last year, London was ranked third in the race behind Paris and Madrid and its transport system was castigated as "obsolete".
The London team improved its bid and assuaged concerns about transport to secure a much better write-up in a subsequent IOC evaluation report published earlier this year.
Lord Coe said winning the Olympics was "massive ... huge". He told Sky News: "I feel absolutely ecstatic we've got the opportunity to do what I've always dreamed about in British sport which is to involve more young people.
"I think the quality of the bid and the vision behind the bid and the fact that we had London is a pretty healthy start."
He said he would be involved in hosting the games but that his first priority was to get some sleep.
Downing Street said the culture secretary, Tessa Jowell, had been appointed minister for the Olympics, alongside her current responsibilities. Speaking in Singapore, Ms Jowell said she could not believe London had won, but promised a games that would show the country's passion for sport and provide inspiration for the next generation.
Ms Jowell said: "We've come from nowhere to win the Olympics and that is quite something. I really want to say thank you: there have been thousands of people involved in this."
She said she initially thought Paris had won because the photographers in the hall had moved over to where the French team were.
She believed the quality of the London presentation had been the crucial factor in its victory and said IOC members had told her how impressive they had found it. During the presentation, which focused on inspiring the young, the Princess Royal had read a message from the Queen inviting the IOC members to Buckingham Palace if London prevailed.
The Olympic Games in London could be worth more than £2bn in tourism revenue for the country, the VisitBritain organisation said. The television rights are expected to also be worth more than £2bn.
The Association of British Travel Agents' president Martin Wellings said the games would provide a "welcome shot in the arm" for the UK tourist industry.
When asked if holding the games would cause taxes to rise, Mr Blair said the event had been costed and would benefit the country.
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005
London wins 2012 Olympics· Blair hails 'momentous day'
· UK bid beat France by 4 votes
· Lord Coe transformed 'joke' bid
Mark Oliver
Wednesday July 6, 2005
Guardian Unlimited
London today won the race to host the 2012 Olympic Games, beating the long-term favourites, Paris, at the finish line to secure one of sport's greatest prizes. The result, broadcast live to television audiences around the world, was announced by the International Olympic Committee president, Jacques Rogge, in Singapore.
Mr Rogge opened the envelope containing the name of the winning bid at around 1248 BST and told the hushed ballroom of the Raffles city complex: "The IOC has the honour of announcing the Games of the 30th Olympiad in 2012 are awarded to the city of London."
The result sparked jubilation in London's Trafalgar Square where supporters of the bid had gathered. In contrast, the crowds gathered at the city hall in a drizzly Paris reacted with dismay at the city's failure to win the games after bidding three times in the last 20 years.
Speaking at Gleneagles ahead of the G8 summit, the prime minister, Tony Blair, said he had been too nervous to watch the final stages of voting but had punched the air and "did a jig" when he heard the result. He called it a "momentous day" for London.
"I couldn't bear to watch [the final announcement]. It is not often in this job that you get to punch the air and do a little jig and embrace the person standing next to you," the prime minister said.
The UK capital beat Paris by 54 votes to 50 in the fourth round of voting after a secret electronic ballot of 115 members of the IOC. As expected, the voting went to a fourth round after first Moscow, then New York and Madrid, were eliminated in early rounds.
Lord Coe, the London 2012 bid leader, had earlier presented IOC members with a passionate final presentation in which he said a London games would show "magic happens", and inspire young people around the world.
The London games will be based in the east of the city where a large area in the Lower Lea Valley will be regenerated.
London's chances grew after no city won more than 50% of the votes in the first round, meaning there was no instant winner. The London 2012 tactic had been to court Madrid's supporters if the Spanish capital was eliminated.
Mr Blair, who left Singapore last night after three months of frenetic campaigning and two days of last-gasp courting of IOC members, had earlier promised work would start on preparing the games "within 48 hours" of a successful bid.
Today the prime minister said that Paris had a very strong bid but that London offered a great legacy for the city, the country and the Olympic movement. He admitted that when he arrived in Singapore London had only an "outside chance" and said the bid had succeeded because the British people were behind it.
Mr Blair denied the win would make the G8 summit starting tonight more difficult, with a disappointed French president, Jacques Chirac, learning the result while en route from Singapore to Scotland.
In a statement released by his office, Mr Chirac sent his congratulations to London and praised the "fair play" shown by the Paris bid team. The statement said: "The head of state congratulates the city of London ... he wishes good luck and full success to the British authorities and people in the organisation of the 30th Olympiad."
David Beckham and a host of sporting celebrities have been in Singapore pressing for a London games. London last hosted the Olympics in 1948 and will become the first city to host sport's biggest event three times.
An emotional Beckham was in the hall to hear the result. He said later that winning the games was an "incredible" victory.
Today's result is also a huge victory for Lord Coe, who has transformed a bid which was originally seen as something of a joke. In an IOC evaluation report last year, London was ranked third in the race behind Paris and Madrid and its transport system was castigated as "obsolete".
The London team improved its bid and assuaged concerns about transport to secure a much better write-up in a subsequent IOC evaluation report published earlier this year.
Lord Coe said winning the Olympics was "massive ... huge". He told Sky News: "I feel absolutely ecstatic we've got the opportunity to do what I've always dreamed about in British sport which is to involve more young people.
"I think the quality of the bid and the vision behind the bid and the fact that we had London is a pretty healthy start."
He said he would be involved in hosting the games but that his first priority was to get some sleep.
Downing Street said the culture secretary, Tessa Jowell, had been appointed minister for the Olympics, alongside her current responsibilities. Speaking in Singapore, Ms Jowell said she could not believe London had won, but promised a games that would show the country's passion for sport and provide inspiration for the next generation.
Ms Jowell said: "We've come from nowhere to win the Olympics and that is quite something. I really want to say thank you: there have been thousands of people involved in this."
She said she initially thought Paris had won because the photographers in the hall had moved over to where the French team were.
She believed the quality of the London presentation had been the crucial factor in its victory and said IOC members had told her how impressive they had found it. During the presentation, which focused on inspiring the young, the Princess Royal had read a message from the Queen inviting the IOC members to Buckingham Palace if London prevailed.
The Olympic Games in London could be worth more than £2bn in tourism revenue for the country, the VisitBritain organisation said. The television rights are expected to also be worth more than £2bn.
The Association of British Travel Agents' president Martin Wellings said the games would provide a "welcome shot in the arm" for the UK tourist industry.
When asked if holding the games would cause taxes to rise, Mr Blair said the event had been costed and would benefit the country.
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005