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Reaction to Slaughter in Norway
British sports minister Hugh Robertson says there are no plans to re-examine security planning for London 2012 following the horrific Oslo attacks. He tells Around the Rings he's "100 percent confident" in dealing with all terror threats to the Games.
"We are entirely content that security planning for London 2012 is absolutely where it ought to be and we are as confident as we can be one year out from the Games that we can run a safe and secure Games," Robertson told ATR after a LOCOG briefing in London Monday.
He emphasized to ATR that there would be no knee-jerk reaction to beef up Olympic security after the Oslo bombing and shootings at a Norwegian island youth camp that have claimed 76 lives. Anders Behring Breivik, who is linked to far-right groups, appeared in court Monday, admitting his guilt.
"We are absolutely 100 percent confident that our plans, which have dealt with all sorts of scenarios, are robust," he said.
"There are a range of threats out there from Irish terrorism to international terrorism to locals. The security systems we have put in place can cater for all of those threats.
"In this country we have had a long long history of dealing with security incidents. For all of my adult life, we have faced a threat of some form from international or domestic terrorism," he added.
While there is no change now in Olympics security planning, Robertson admitted that there was scope for improvements in the build-up to the Games.
"Yes if something happens that changes the whole basis on which we have done that planning, yes of course we will reassess our plans," he said.
Coe Offers Sympathies to Norway
LOCOG chair Sebastian Coe was asked Monday during an appearance at the Foreign PressAssociation in London for his reaction to the carnage in Norway.
Coe says his appearances as a middle distance runner more than 20 years ago at the Bislett Games in Oslo "defined my career".
"My message here is very simple, the whole world shares your pain," said Coe.
"My instinct about Norway from the 30-odd years I’ve been going tells me you are an extraordinary, resilient nation of people. There are no words from me that are going to ease the immediate pain.
"We will do everything we can, and I’ve already made this clear to the Norwegian Olympic Committee that we stand ready to do anything we possibly can to help their teams in preparation for London," Coe said.
Legacy Program Delivers a Year Early, Rio Next
Speaking earlier Monday at another event, Coe said that Olympic organizers had delivered on one of their bid legacy pledges made to the IOC in Singapore six years ago.
LOCOG's International Inspiration program has achieved its goal to reach 12 million children and young people around the world a year earlier than planned, Coe told a press conference.
Former England football captain David Beckham and triple Olympic cycling gold medalist Chris Hoy are among the program's ambassadors.
The initiative, a partnership between UK Sport, UNICEF and the British Council, aims to use the power of physical education and sport to enrich the lives of millions of children and young people. Work is carried out with local communities, teachers, coaches and governments to improve children’s lives and give them the chance to take part in sport.
It is currently reaching youngsters in 17 countries globally. Three more countries will be added to the scheme in the next few months. Each project lasts for at least three years.
London 2012 deputy chair Keith Mills told the press conference that $62 million had so far been spent on the program.
Projects in India have received the biggest injection of cash, about $6.5 million. Mills spoke about how the money had changed the educational system for tens of thousands of primary schools, putting sports projects on the curriculum - there was no teaching of sport in primary schools prior to the arrival of the legacy program.
In Bangladesh, where thousands of children drown each year, International Inspiration is working with the Bangladesh Swimming Federation to teach swimming survival techniques to over 80,000 non-swimmers. Nearly 784 teenage swimming instructors have been trained to teach children how to swim and to raise awareness about the importance of survival swimming.
Mills indicated that the IOC and Rio 2016 Olympics chiefs would be adapting the International Inspiration concept for the Games after London and future editions.
"The program will continue for many decades to come. Rio 2016 is already looking at a program along the same lines," he said. "I think Rio is planning to use the program in a different way, both in Brazil and Latin America."
He said further discussions about the program would be held with Rio 2016 officials when a delegation travels to London for meetings with LOCOG in September.
Written and reported in London by Mark Bisson and Ed Hula.