For sure, the campaign to succeed Beijing in the roster of host cities has reached fever pitch. Bidders made impassionate appeals during the recent Athens Games as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) welcomed the applications of Havana, Istanbul, Leipzig, London, Madrid, New York, Paris and Rio de Janeiro.
Istanbul and Paris were candidates to host the 2008 Games. Paris made it to the final poll but wound up third behind Beijing and Toronto. Istanbul was also a contender for the 2000 Games which Sydney hosted.
The IOC’s 123-member electorate will announce its choice as host city for the 2012 Games in July next year.
According to English sports columnist Steph Cook, London had the most impressive presentation in Athens. "The London 2012 bid has moved forward, topping all other presentations," wrote Cook probably with a slight bias. "Sitting in the stadium while the Greeks roared home Fani Haikia, their 400-meter hurdles champion, gave a glimpse of how good a London Games would be."
Another English city Manchester bid for the 2000 Games.
Heading the London 2012 bid committee is two-time 1,500-meter Olympic champion Lord Sebastian Coe. It was at the 1980 Moscow Games where Coe claimed his first Olympic gold, outdistancing rival Steve Ovett who settled for the bronze. Coe also brought home a silver in the 800-meter race. In Los Angeles four years later, Coe bagged his second 1,500-meter gold, this time outdueling Steve Cram.
Coe later became a Tory Member of Parliament and is now known as Lord Coe.
In Athens, Coe arrived late and found most of his counterparts from other bidding countries already pitched in trenches for war and nestled at the posh Hilton Hotel. Coe, however, wasn’t fazed. Before long, London emerged a leading candidate and only Paris appeared to be as hot.
"The (London) bid’s official presentation was well-received by IOC members," noted Paul Kelso of The Guardian. "Coe has been a positive and influential presence and ambassadors such as Cherie Blair and the sports minister Richard Caborn have been smartly deployed to attend sports where there may not be a British interest but London’s interest can be boosted by an introduction to an influential IOC member. In an indication of how far London has to go to stand a chance of winning, however, the bid team remained jumpy and prone to overreact to the short of mixed publicity that Paris can afford to brush off with the insouciance of a worthy favorite."
Early this year, the IOC reportedly seemed lukewarm to a London bid because of transportation concerns. Coe has since assured the IOC of plans to smoothen transport kinks. The plans are to be submitted in November.
A key element in the transportation plans is a major expansion of cycle lanes. About 50 kilometers of new cycle routes will be added to the network. The Olympic zone will guarantee parking for 4,000 bicycles.
"Over a million people live within a 30-minute cycle radius of the Games and this is a great opportunity to encourage them to get fitter and contribute towards a greener planet," said transport minister Tony McNulty, quoted by Isabel Oakeshott in the Evening Standard.
Mayor Ken Livingstone chimed in: "More Londoners are using a bicycle to get around than ever before, thanks to new dedicated cycle lanes and parking spaces. Cycling will be the ideal route to the Games for many visitors and athletes."
Coe described the campaign to host the Olympics as "demanding, exciting and endlessly fascinating." As a former Olympic athlete, he said there is nothing to match the simple elemental thrill of planning your race and the chase is like no other because it is winner-take-all and there are no medals for second or third.
"I am convinced more than ever that we have the vision, the passion and the expertise to deliver the greatest games, not only for London but for the entire country," said Coe. "My team is now finalizing all the details–from competition venues to the best-ever transport plan–ready for submission to the IOC in November.