Coe: London 2012 Won’t Copy Beijing

London 2012 chairman Lord Coe has confirmed the International Olympic Committee’s view that the British capital will not try to replicate the size and scale of the Beijing Games.

Coe insists that London’s priority will be delivering a lasting legacy and community provision for the future rather than matching the spectacular scenes of Beijing.

Commented Coe: ‘We’ve never viewed these Games simply as 16 days of spectacular Olympic or Paralympic sport. The International Olympic Committee themselves recognise that this is the last edition of a Games which is going to look and feel like this.

‘We work very closely with the IOC on a daily and hourly basis – they have set the agenda on sustainable venues, with sport as a bridgehead into other things. We recognise that – although instinctively I think we’d have been drawn to it as well.

‘It’s a mistake to think that Games model themselves on previous Games. Every Games I’ve been to has been very different. But we can be creative – we know that more people will probably come to London for the Games than to other cities.

‘I think we can deliver a fantastic Olympic and Paralympic Games, but we can do great things in the city to drive other cultural values.’
 
But as well as the physical legacy, Coe has pointed out that Britain’s achievements in Beijing have also given the country a “fantastic platform” for success in four years’ time.

Coe added: ‘We’ve been looking at the legacy from the very moment our teams started looking at the master plans. But the strongest legacy we’re witnessing at the moment is the performance of Team GB.

‘I’ve always felt the primary purpose of a medal is that it signifies a big British moment – and big British moments in sport have to have a conversion rate.

‘For the Chris Hoys of this world, and our rowers and swimmers, the real challenge for our governing bodies and for sport more broadly is, how many people can you get into the sport off the back of that great moment?

‘I’m a football fan, and we have to accept that it’s our national sport – but I do think we can really elevate the status of some of our Olympic sports.

‘The BBC have had some of their highest viewing figures, and a large chunk of the population are now very familiar with the faces of swimmers, cyclists and rowers in a way they weren’t 10 years ago.

‘We want fewer couch potatoes and more participants, but I also want full stadia.’