The inquiry
· We decided on 17 December 2002 to hold a short
inquiry into the Government's decisionmaking process on
whether to support a London bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. Over
14 and 15 January we took oral evidence from: Mr Mark Bostock,
Project Director, Mr Sam Higginson, Project Manager, and Mr Nick
Banks, Senior Consultant, Arup; four London boroughs, Mr
Max Caller, Chief Executive of Hackney, Mr Simon White,
Chief Executive of Waltham Forest, Mr Norman Turner, Director
of Culture and Leisure, Newham and Mr Ray Gerlach, Corporate
Director of Customer Services, Tower Hamlets; Mr Craig
Reedie, member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC);
Mr Reedie also appeared subsequently in his separate role as Chairman
of the British Olympic Association (BOA), accompanied by
Mr Simon Clegg, Chief Executive, Sir Steven Redgrave, Vice-President,
and Mr David Luckes, London Olympic Bid Co-ordinator; Rt Hon Tessa
Jowell MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Rt
Hon Richard Caborn MP, Minister for Sport and Mr Robert Raine,
Head of Commonwealth Games Division, Department for Culture,
Media and Sport; Mr Richard Sumray, the Mayor's representative
on the 2012 Olympic Bid Stakeholders Group, Greater London
Authority (GLA), Mr Tony Winterbottom, Director of Strategy
Implementation and Project Development and Mr Michael Ward, Chief
Executive, London Development Agency (LDA), Mr Jay Walder,
Managing Director, Finance and Planning and Mr Barry Broe, Director
of Strategic Planning, Transport for London; Sir Rodney
Walker, Chairman, and Mr John Scott, Director of International
Relations and Major Events, UK Sport and Mr Roger Draper,
Acting Chief Executive, and Mr Ian Fytche, Director of Strategy,
Sport England.[1]
· We were grateful to our witnesses, and those
who submitted written memoranda, for their efforts at relatively
short notice.[2]
We sought evidence from the Organising Committee of the Athens
2004 Games but unfortunately this could not be arranged within
the time available.
· To achieve expeditious publication of our
conclusions, all the written evidence we received—apart
from that submitted in confidence—is published together
at the back of this volume after the oral evidence. The transcripts
of the oral evidence have been available on the Parliamentary
website since 16 January.[3]
The Olympic Movement and the Olympic
and Paralympic Games
· The Olympic Movement brings together all those
who agree to be guided by the Olympic Charter and who recognise
the authority of the International Olympic Committee (IOC): the
international federations of Olympic sports; the national Olympic
committees and associations; ad hoc organising committees (such
as Athens 2004); athletes and other sports men and women; judges,
umpires and referees; associations and clubs; as well as other
partner organisations and institutions recognised by the IOC.
The IOC itself, established in 1894, is an international, independent,
nongovernmental, nonprofit making organisation owning
all rights to the Olympic symbols, flag, motto, anthem and Olympic
Games. Its main responsibility is oversight of the organisation
of summer and winter Games, a process which includes selection
of the host city. By agreement between the IOC and the International
Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Olympic and Paralympic competitions
are hosted each Olympiad by the same city.
· The modern Olympic and Paralympic Games are
one of the largest regular international gatherings of any kind
in the world, let alone the sporting world. For athletes, and
for host cities, it is sport's richest prize. It is also the most
expensive.
| Host city, date and cost — £m 2002 prices[4]
|
| Munich | 1972
| 1,430 |
Atlanta |
1996 | 1,481
|
| Montreal | 1976
| 2,436 |
Sydney |
2000 | 2,534
|
| Moscow | 1980
| 2,622 |
Athens
| 2004
| 3,937
|
| LA | 1984
| 567 |
Beijing
| 2008
| 9,775
|
| Seoul | 1988
| 3,746 |
|
| Barcelona | 1992
| 8,057 |
London
| 2012
| 2,614[5]
|
The Games together involve about 15,000 athletes and an almost
equal number of coaches, officials and members of the 'Olympic
family'. Twenty thousand media representatives, 7,000 thousand
sponsors and, of course, the equivalent of nearly 500,000 spectators
a day are also likely to attend.[6]
In the background about 60,000 operational personnel will be working
to keep everything running smoothly. This event is awarded, seven
years in advance, by the IOC to the Candidate City which puts
forward what the 126 active IOC members vote to be the best bid
against a range of criteria.
1
See Ev 1-50 Back
2
See Ev 51ff Back
3
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmcumeds.htm Back
4
The comparisons are approximate. Some cities have incorporated
infrastructure costs in their Olympic expenditure and others have
not. For Barcelona and Beijing (planned) the figures include substantial
associated development and redevelopment across the cities concerned.
Exchange rates and purchasing price parity issues also apply-at
London prices the Sydney Games would have cost about £3,248
million. See Ev 53. Back
5
This is the Arup baseline forecast (using Mills Mead village and
athletics stadium legacy options and without discounting). The
latest DCMS estimate for total cost, at 2002 prices, is £3,822
million. Back
6
From London Olympics 2012, Costs and Benefits, Arup, 21 May 2002,
published summary, November 2002, p2 - hereafter "The Arup
summary". Back
