The London 2012 bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games

London’s bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 is reaching a crucial stage. The bid document (Candidature File) was submitted on November 15th.

Thereafter the IOC’s Evaluation Commission will be visiting in February to assess the claims made in the bid document. A final decision will be made in Singapore on June 6th.

Throughout this period IOC opinion polls will assess public support for the games in each nation bidding to host them. The student sector UK wide stands to benefit tremendously from the Games coming to London. Coverage recently in the Scottish press, for example, has highlighted the significant benefits accruing to Scotland from a successful bid, and these benefits will be mirrored across the UK.

Technically London’s bid is without doubt the strongest – it is greener, more secure, more compact, more robust, more accessible and cheaper than rival bids, and will create a fantastic platform and opportunity for UK residents to enjoy the biggest show on Earth.

The London bid is generating something like four times as much press coverage as all the other bids put together, and was very well received by the international press corps in Athens. The difficulty that now faces London 2012 is that some of this coverage is still negative.

As a sector that will benefit from the Games, HE and HE sport in particular, has an opportunity to influence a large proportion of the UK population – by convincing students, parents and host communities of the benefits of the Games.

London 2012 has a myriad of information available to those researching the case for the games, predominantly through the website www.london2012.com but also through a number of booklets, fact sheets, schools resources and other information available from the communications team.

With these facts in mind it is proposed that NUS executive give formal support to the 2012 bid and as such are requested to endorse the following: -

This Executive Notes

1. The fantastic success of the Games in Sydney and Athens.
2. The employment and volunteering opportunities available as part of the Games.
3. The improvement of sports facilities in Australia and Greece linked to hosting the Games.
4. The improvement in the perception, visibility, credibility and standing of sport in Australia and Greece.
5. The improvement in the performance of teams from the host nation, and the next host nation during each Olympiad.
6. That London 2012 Ltd with the support of national government, the British Olympic Association, the Mayor of London, Greater London Authority and London Development Agency is bidding to bring the Games to London in 2012.
7. The regeneration of the east end of London proposed as part of the bid, alongside wealth distribution measures for other parts of the UK.
8. That one of 11 criteria against which the bid will be assessed will be levels of public support around the country.
9. The campaign to recruit support, make Britain proud and back the bid. 10. That the bid has a limited budget.
11. The London bid faces competition from Madrid, New York, Paris and Moscow.

This Executive Believes

1. That the opportunities created by the Games for students – as competitors, spectators, workers or volunteers – will be huge.
2. That Universities stand to benefit from the location of training and preparation camps in the years before the Games, due to the location of facilities and accommodation.
3. That to attract these camps, facilities in some institutions will have to be improved creating a direct legacy benefit for future generations of students.
4. That additional legacy benefits in the perception, visibility, credibility and provision of sport in the UK will provide significant employment prospects for the growing cadre of students undertaking sports related qualifications.
5. That sporting and business benefit to the UK as a whole will be huge.
6. That the UK should be prepared to support that in practical ways.
7. That the question members should ask is not what the bid can do for me, but what I can do for the bid?

This Executive Resolves

1. To make policy to ‘Back the Bid’, promoting London 2012 activities.
2. To carry the current London 2012 logo and link on the NUS Website.
3. To add London 2012 logos, with appropriate messages to NUS publications and stationery where practicable.
4. To mandate the Executive to liaise with BUSA in regards to compiling campaign information.
5. To encourage, by all practical means, officers, staff, members and participants to make a personal statement of support at www.london2012.com.
6. To encourage members to co-brand their activities and events in support of the bid.
7. To undertake all other practical steps to support the bid.