LondonAfter months of uncertainty, Britain has launched its 2012 Olympic bid to bring the Games to London for the third time, previous celebrations having been held in 1908 and 1948.
Leipzig, Madrid, Moscow and New York, are already in the 2012 race while Rio de Janeiro, Toronto and Paris are considering bids – the French capital is expected to enter the competition on 21 May. Cities have until 15 July to declare their bids.
The British government announced after a cabinet meeting today that it would back the Olympic project "to the hilt" after lengthy debate about how the showpiece event, estimated to cost 2.4 billion pounds ($3.89 billion), would be funded.
"The government has decided to give its wholehearted backing to a bid to host the Olympic Games ... in London in 2012," Culture, Media and Sports Secretary Tessa Jowell told the British Parliament.
President of the International Association of Athletics Federations Lamine Diack said he was pleased by the news.
“I think it is good,” he told Reuters. “I think English sport deserves the chance to hold the Games.”
Agencies