London 2012 Chief Praises Blair, Jowell; Women's Boxing for Glasgow 2014

London 2012 Chief Praises Blair, Jowell

London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe has called for politicians from Britain’s three main parties to unite in delivering a successful Games legacy.

Coe, a former Tory MP, told the Labour conference in Manchester on Tuesday that the legacy had to be "looked at in a consensual way".

He also praised those members of the Labour party who helped win the Olympic bid, including former PM Tony Blair, former sports minister Tessa Jowell and London mayor Boris Johnson’s predecessor, Ken Livingstone.

"Their foresight and energy in supporting and driving forward the bid and the infrastructure budget was unparalleled," he told conference delegates.

He paid a special tribute to Jowell, who was a key voice in persuading Blair’s government to bid and played an important role on the Olympic Board over the last two years after Labour lost power in May 2010.

"We could not have got across the line without you," said Coe, who has been appointed by British Prime Minister David Cameron as the UK's "legacy ambassador".

Jowell said Team GB's record medal haul – 29 golds among 65 medals – was the result of well-directed investment of public money since the Games were awarded to London in 2005.

Amid cuts in school sports since the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats coalition government came to power, she urged ministers to "keep our Olympic promise" to inspire a generation and maintain investment in elite sports and community facilities.

London 2012 chief executive Paul Deighton also took to the stage in Manchester to talk about the success of the Olympics and the importance of maximizing the legacy benefits. Prime Minister Cameron last month appointed him as commercial secretary to the Treasury, where he will help oversee the delivery of U.K. infrastructure.

Women’s Boxing for Glasgow 2014

Glasgow 2014 will be the first Commonwealth Games to feature women's boxing included in its sports program.

The announcement came at the Commonwealth Games Federation's General Assembly in Kampala, Uganda on Friday. Its inclusion follows the success of women's boxing's debut at the Olympics in London.

At Glasgow 2014, women’s boxing will offer medals in three weights: fly weight (48-51kg), light weight (57-60kg) and middle weight (69-75kg) – the same events as London 2012.

HRH Prince Imran, president of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said the General Assembly of the Commonwealth Games Federation had endorsed Glasgow 2014’s women’s boxing proposal.

"We saw at London 2012 that the Commonwealth’s women boxers are among the best in the world, and I applaud Glasgow 2014’s hard work towards securing a Games which demonstrates our shared commitment to gender equity and fairness," he said.

Glasgow 2014 CEO David Grevemberg added: "As London 2012 demonstrated, women's boxing has elite athletes from across the world, including strong representation from across the Commonwealth. As an organizing committee we are delighted to be delivering an inclusive Games with more opportunities for women and Para-sport athletes."

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) welcomed the news as a major step forward for the sport.

"After the resounding success of the London 2012 Olympic Games, where women's boxing was one of the star attractions, our fans will once again be treated to something truly special," said AIBA president C.K. Wu.

He added: "This inclusion demonstrates the continued growth in popularity of women's boxing that I wish to continue promoting even further. Women boxers have reached world-class levels over the last couple of years and the Commonwealth Games will be another opportunity for these athletes to showcase their talents".

Reported by Mark Bisson

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.