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Mayor Khan keen for London to make Olympics history / Photo: MARTIN BERNETTI - AFP
Mayor Khan keen for London to make Olympics history
London mayor Sadiq Khan wants the city to "become the first to host the Games four times" and would like to bid for them with the 2040 edition the likeliest possibility, he told The Times on Monday.
The 54-year-old Labour mayor believes a successful bid for the 2029 World Athletics Championships can be a launching pad for such a bid.
London last hosted the Summer Olympics in 2012, which was deemed hugely successful.
Los Angeles and Brisbane are hosting the 2028 and 2032 renewals, while there are hints that Saudi Arabia may go for 2036.
London, Los Angeles (including 2028) and Paris have hosted the Games three times.
"I would like to see London become the first city to host the Games four times," Khan said.
"And if we have the World Championships in 2029, it means in the lead-up there's energy, enthusiasm and investment in track and field, which means you will have the future Mo Farahs, the future Paula Radcliffes."
Khan, who has been mayor since 2016 and is in his third mandate, said he was impressed by the show put on by Paris last year but claimed there would be no contest between who was the better host.
He highlighted how the eastern part of London has retained several of the stadia used in 2012, including the main stadium which is now home to Premier League side West Ham.
"I was in Paris last summer and I saw the transformation of their city," he said.
"But we could knock it out of the park in relation to the Olympics, using the assets we already have in the aquatics centre, the stadium, the velodrome.
"We could have some events outside of London too. London could be a hub.
"The greenest Games ever."
However, to even launch a bid for the world athletics championships -- which London last hosted in 2017 -- Khan would require Britain's Labour government to contribute £45 million ($60 million, 53 million euros).
The funds are necessary to submit a formal expression of interest to World Athletics in September.
Nevertheless he is confident he can obtain that, not least because he can cite the financial benefits sports events bring.
Khan says he has had some "positive talks" with the government over it.
"We're working with the government in relation to making the case to bring back the World Athletics Championships," he said.
"The problem has been, actually, the previous government basically had no interest in the importance of bringing sport to our country."
Khan pointed to the 2024 Major Sports Events Impact Report for London which he commissioned and hopes will convince the government to back the athletics bid.
"The fact is this report confirms that sport can bring huge dividends to our country," he said.
"The soft power of London on a global stage. And it also brings joy and inspires the next generation."
Q.Bernardi--INP
