August 07, 2008	Thursday	Sha’aban 4, 1429

BEIJING, Aug 6: The progress of London’s preparations in getting everything ready for the 2012 Olympics was awarded top marks by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) here on Wednesday.

In the latest assessment of the manner in which it was progressing, there was rare all-round praise for an organising city.

However, as the IOC Chairman of the Co-Ordination Commission Denis Oswald admitted, if he hadn’t had to provide a more detailed report he would simply have addressed his fellow IOC members with the words: “Everything is going well in London. In terms of timing, budget and the work done.”

The Swiss — a two time Olympian in rowing in 1968 and 1976 — admitted that several plans will be revised following LOCOG’s (London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games) observations of the Beijing Games.

Paul Deighton, chief executive of the London organisers, had earlier revealed that two of the main stadia were already under construction while the yachting venue — which has seen 18,000 acres of land reclaimed in Weymouth, Dorset and which has planned a 567 berth marina will be finished this year.

Deighton, who said that they had embarked on the largest regeneration project in Europe in reviving an area of East London, assured the IOC members that they should not fear a dip in enthusiasm on a local political level despite this year’s change in London Mayor from Labour’s Ken Livingston to Conservative Boris Johnson.

“He [Johnson] is as committed as his predecessor was,” said Deighton.

The only slightly poor note was sounded when he replied to a question by IOC Medical Chairman Professor Arne Ljungqvist about the promised drugs legislation which the Swede — an ardent campaigner against drugs in sport — had been assured in a meeting in 10 Downing Street a while ago would be implemented.

“We are working on a new UK anti-doping agency,” he said in reply to the 77-year-old Swede’s question.

“We will be consulting with the Home Office on that and it is an evolving situation.”

For Oswald, though, that mattered little.

“We fully trust the work done by LOCOG, the British Olympic Association [BOA] and the Olympic Development Authority (ODA),” commented Oswald, who earlier this year when asked how much he would give as a mark to London replied 97.7percent.

Oswald based his positive report on three other factors.

“London is focussing on the athletes and needs for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games,” he commented.

“All levels of government are working hard to engender a legacy of sports participation from the Games.

“LOCOG’s vision to use the power of sport to inspire change and integration.”—AFP