Olympics Minister: Bulk of London Cash Going on 2012 Legacy

(ATR) Olympics minister Tessa Jowell has restated the British government’s commitment to create a lasting legacy from the 2012 Games.

Jowell told the Legacy Lives conference in London Thursday that 75 percent of all investment on the Olympics project is promoting regeneration of previously neglected east London. She claimed that delivers on a pledge made when London was awarded the Games in 2005.

"We made two promises to the IOC," recalled Jowell. "The first was for the Olympics to transform east London and the second was to inspire a generation of young people to take up sport.

"We have now added a social and cultural legacy, will transform the perception of disabled people and be the most sustainable, environmentally friendly Games ever."

Mike Lee, adviser to the successful bids of both London and Rio 2016, told the conference that planned legacy projects by the Brazilians include the regeneration of the port and extensive water sanitisation in a city riddled with deprivation.

He also said there are environmental and educational legacy initiatives, on a huge scale. "A total of 24 million trees will be planted in Brazil," said Lee. "And 700,000 young people have already pursued taking part in English and Spanish lessons as a result of the Olympics coming to Rio."

Reedie Praises Vancouver Games Organizers

IOC Executive Board member Craig Reedie has praised the Vancouver Winter Games for bringing Canada together as a nation. The veteran British sports administrator believes the Games was the first to be universally supported by a host country in a decade.

Reedie, a non-executive director of LOCOG, will hope London 2012 can energize the U.K. as effectively as events in Vancouver did in Canada. The hosts finished top of the medal table on gold medals won.

"The local population in Vancouver developed enormous national pride," Reedie told the Legacy Lives conference. "And it was the first Games since Sydney 2000 that were totally accepted, and adopted, by the whole country. Canada became more united than it has ever been."

Despite revelling in the Games being a force for good, Reedie warned: "We are not a panacea.The Olympics is about sport. We can’t solve all the problems a country has, but we can use sport as a catalyst for change."

Elphinston Claims Everyone’s A Winner

Win or lose, every city that bids for an Olympics Games is a winner, according to Bob Elphinston, president of the international basketball federation and a former member of two IOC Evaluation Commissions.

The Australian, general manager of Sydney 2000 before being appointed to the IOC role for the 2008 and 2012 Games, cited two contrasting examples.

"Baku, the Azerbaijan bid for the Olympics. They lost, but they were on the board, profiling sport in their country and improving the economy of the nation. Madrid has just been unsuccessful for the third time, but the bid has driven improvements in the city and the region – so there are benefits for losers as well."

Elphinston claimed that in 1991 Sydney was unable to stage a national event in swimming or track and field, but the act of bidding made the authorities invest in facilities.

"Whether it’s environmental issues or increasing women’s participation in sport, bidding increases the chances of government success in these areas," he added. "The benefits of bidding are well known – without doubt sport events can change a nation."

London and Sochi Target Youth

London 2012 is using an army of teenage "ambassadors" to deliver the Olympic message to the next generation. LOCOG director of sport Debbie Jevans told Legacy Lives that the 14-19 year olds are going round schools speaking to younger children, educating them about the great sports festival.

"This shows the power of the Games," stated Jevans. "This wouldn’t be happening if we were not hosting."

Meanwhile, Russia will attempt to brush aside its failures in Vancouver by staging "the first Games for the digital generation" in 2014.

Sochi, the first sub-tropical base for the Winter Olympics, aims to reach young people by using all available technological techniques; its website address is incorporated in the Games logo.

Sochi 2014 adviser and bid consultant Jon Tibbs said that they wanted to address the "disenfranchisement" of youngsters from the Olympic Movement.

Singapore Sports Council chairman Alex Chan said the city-state's hosting of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in August "reflects our aims to create a vibrant, resilient population".

With reporting from Adrian Hill in London

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