July 11, 2007	Wednesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 25, 1428

LONDON, July 10: An influential group of British lawmakers has warned organisers of the 2012 London Olympics they risk major problems because too many different bodies are being trusted to deliver the games.

The Commons Public Accounts Committee, which monitors government spending, also criticised the lack of plans for ensuring Olympic facilities are properly used after the games, and said the government had left itself financially exposed by seriously underestimating the cost of staging them.

The report, published on Tuesday, says that no one individual has overall responsibility for delivering the Olympics and the large number of bodies involved presents significant risks, including for timely decision-taking.

The Olympic Development Authority is responsible for the venues and infrastructure for the games. The London Olympic organising committee is in charge of running the games.

The government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport has to develop a framework of timely progress and risk reporting, the report said.

“If the London Olympic and Paralympic Games are to be the great success we all want them to be, then the risks to delivery will have to be managed with an iron hand,” committee chairman Edward Leigh said.

“The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is ultimately responsible for co-ordinating the array of bodies involved. It is worrying, therefore, that strong arrangements for monitoring progress and managing risk are so far not in place.”—AP