London Mayor ready for London Olympics bid after Brit backing
The Mayor of London says he stands ready to help form a bid for the 2040 Olympic Games after City AM polling revealed widespread support for the plans.
Over half of Brits back London challenging the likes of Saudi Arabia to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games to Britain for a fourth time. The exclusive Ipsos polling, published yesterday, also revealed that just 12 per cent of people are against a bid.
In response, the Mayor said: “London is the sporting capital of the world, and I have openly expressed my ambition for our city to be part of a future Olympic and Paralympic Games, so it is very encouraging that this new research from City AM shows significant support for this.
“The 2012 Games are etched into the memory of London, and it would be great to see the Olympic rings return to the city.
“Any decision to host the Games would be made in partnership with the Government and relevant key stakeholders, and London stands ready to have those conversations when the time is right.”
Amid economic uncertainty, bidding for major sports events remains popular amongst Britons, with two thirds of the 1,000-plus respondents stating that the Olympic and Paralympic Games would be good for London. Similar numbers agreed it would give people something to celebrate and would be good for the nation.
Support is even higher for a London 2040 bid among those based in the capital and Britons who describe themselves as sports fans.
London last hosted the Olympics in 2012, and staged the Games twice before that. It would become the first city to host the Games on four occasions.
But India are favourites to win the bidding process for the 2036 Games with the likes of Saudi Arabia, China and Egypt rumoured to be among those looking to host the 2040 Olympiad.
Asked whether the Olympics was the one major sporting event they’d want to host, the British respondents disagreed and instead picked the men’s Fifa World Cup.