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Jacques Rogge would welcome another London Olympic bid

Last updated on .From the section Olympicscomments138

Jacques Rogge (left) and Seb Coe

International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge has said London could stage the Olympics again in the next 20 years.

The games of London 2012 were widely regarded as a huge success.

And when asked if the games could return to the English capital Rogge told BBC Radio 5 live: "Whether there is a will to do that is another matter, but definitely, that would be possible.

"The IOC welcome good bids irrespective of the place they originate from."

Rogge added: "There will always be a competition between various candidate cities. This is a contest and definitely it remains to be seen whether London would show an interest to bid again, and if that is the case London will have to face other cities.

"I would welcome good bids emanating from as many countries as possible and this includes the United Kingdom."

Rogge also backed the British government to make a success of the Olympic Stadium.

"My view is that what we really need is to ensure that [the Stadium] can be used by communities and not be left as a white elephant and I'm quite sure that my British friends will find a solution for sustainable legacy," he said.

West Ham United are one of four bidders under consideration to lease the £486m stadium and Rogge would have no problem it being used as a football venue.

Rogge added: "As long as the track can be kept, that is the most important thing in terms of legacy for the athletics, But if a football team would come in the stadium, this would guarantee sustainable development."

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138 comments

  • Comment posted by colinwe, at 13:28 14 Oct 2012

    I think its a great idea, it will give everyone the chance to show George Osborne what they think of him, all over again.

  • Comment posted by Prit Ch, at 14:17 14 Oct 2012

    Question, why did 90,000 people boo George Osborne in the Olympic Stadium?

    A: Because they could only get 90,000 in!

    Sorry, couldn't resist

  • Comment posted by User0354548811, at 14:52 14 Oct 2012

    The London Olympics was an exceptional celebration of sport, not just national but global. People who keep arguing about the 'cost to the taxpayer' aren't seeing the greater picture; not everything needs to have a financial payback.

  • Comment posted by singh10, at 14:49 14 Oct 2012

    the people that are going on about expense do make me laugh. if were to hold the Olympics again, we would not need to build all the venues and infrastructure as a lot has been done. the expense would not be at the same level. in addition this bought massive regeneration to a poor park of London. I would love to have the Olympics back and to show to world wrote can still pull it off!

  • Comment posted by metripleone, at 16:09 14 Oct 2012

    I think he's saying 'We'd be happy to accept a bid' rather than 'Oh we'd definitely give them the Olympics again!'

  • Comment posted by User0508255555, at 13:18 14 Oct 2012

    I think other countries would just see us as greedy; we've already had 3.

  • Comment posted by kuskutok, at 13:17 14 Oct 2012

    Much as I'd love to see it, and much as I would expect another great Olympics out of London, we're not realistically going to be picked before about 2044-2048 unless we happen upon a weak field (such as Atlanta faced for the 1996 games) or the selected host pulls out, because the IOC likes to go to new places, and there are plenty of great cities that have never hosted.

  • Comment posted by PSB808, at 21:07 14 Oct 2012

    104. hizento
    41 MINUTES AGO
    "controversial decisions"

    Could happen in any event, anywhere.

    "It was one of the worst Games since Atlanta 96."

    So it was one of the worst ones from a choice of three? :S

    Sorry, but I haven't heard as much crap since Ed Miliband last opened his mouth.

  • Comment posted by User0095594313, at 12:43 14 Oct 2012

    London could possibly do it as a back up if another city in the running had to pull out late, but there is no chance and no reason to have it again so soon.

  • Comment posted by paulb58, at 23:01 14 Oct 2012

    I was one of the few who always predicted these would be the greatest games ever supported by the vast majority of the British,not just London or English,public and that the doom Sayers would be vanquished! I was proved right of course ,but yet we have the usual nay Sayers back on here with their ridiculous and pathetic comments on us hosting the the games again.please shut up and go away!

  • Comment posted by User0183513851, at 15:21 14 Oct 2012

    Do it! We could host it every year if needs be. (we'd just need to get the rings and Basketball arena back from Brazil)

  • Comment posted by philjer, at 18:32 14 Oct 2012

    Of course the IOC want the UK to host it again, there is a limited amount of countries left who want, or would be so willing to bend over backwards and accede to all the IOC's demands. And the UK are masters at distorting the truth of the value of the Games, what with the loss to the economy.

    Within 10 years the "legacy" fallacy of the 2012 Games will be evident to all but the most gullible.

  • Comment posted by PSB808, at 20:44 14 Oct 2012

    104. hizento
    31 MINUTES AGO
    "costing taxpayers"

    Doesn't anything, though?

    "poor opening ceremony"

    In your opinion, and you are in a minority. I haven't met anyone who wasn't impressed by a least one segment of the ceremony.

    "poor commentary from the BBC"

    Totally disagree. Coverage was excellent. What were you hoping for; Being told what the competitors had for breakfast?

  • Comment posted by User0094459440, at 13:19 14 Oct 2012

    A well earned compliment but could we afford it again?

    But then how many other countries are asking if they can afford it either?
    .

  • Comment posted by User0977499499, at 15:27 14 Oct 2012

    The IOC obviously like 5* central London hotels. Promise them breakfast only budget chains when they come again. See if they are still interested.

  • Comment posted by Paula Griffin, at 13:30 14 Oct 2012

    Does make me incredibly proud to read such a comment though often the politics of sport demands such a response. 20 years down the line, the power base within the IOC may have changed. That said there are several cities that have never had the chance to host the games and with Africa and Asia yet to get there fair share it would seem daft for London to contemplate another bid in this generation.

  • Comment posted by User0614699714, at 18:00 14 Oct 2012

    Ah, what happened to that old "Once in a liftime" nonsense we were being told to tell the kids, the grandkids etc.
    Truth of the matter is greed holds sway here, IOC realise there is top dollar to be made from hosting the event in a City where the most coin can be deposited into it's ravenous pockets, and the Government would leap at the chance to throw even more cash from it's taxpayers at it.

  • Comment posted by Klg23mnb, at 18:45 14 Oct 2012

    @89 You beat me to it. I thought they were having a laugh!

    @90 You're wrong. Many other cities are capable of hosting sports as well as London, they're just not as deluded nor well funded as them. Massive waste of money, with nothing like the legacy they say we'll have. Feel sorry for other GB countries who have been forgotten in this

  • Comment posted by Damian, at 19:00 14 Oct 2012

    oh fer frak's sake, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

  • Comment posted by DaveSmooth, at 17:10 14 Oct 2012

    What a non-story, certainly does not merit mention on the main BBC headline page!

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