LORD Sebastian Coe, the London 2012 chairman, yesterday said the organisers of the Commonwealth and Olympic Games should rise above squabbling over funding and work together to create a great sporting legacy.
In an interview with The Scotsman yesterday, Lord Coe rubbished the argument that Scotland has lost out on National Lottery cash and insisted it would benefit hugely from the London games.
He was speaking after Stewart Maxwell, the sports ministe
r, said it was wrong that £184 million of Scotland's lottery money was going to the 2012 games in London as the Commonwealth Games Bill passed its final stages at Holyrood.
Lord Coe, who had met Mr Maxwell earlier in the day and was due to have talks with the First Minister, Alex Salmond, said focusing on money failed to look at the bigger picture.
"The argument over the money is a matter for the two governments to resolve," he said.
"But I don't think we would have this argument if it was a hospital or an art gallery. For some reason, people see sports as an added-on extra.
"I would point out that if you look at the geography of Britain, we have a large population and in a small land mass. That means that having the Olympic Games here is going to have an impact on everybody."
His meetings with Mr Maxwell and Mr Salmond were about trying to dovetail London 2012 and Glasgow 2014, he said. "It's wonderful that we have two of the three biggest sporting events in the world within two years in Britain.
"The idea is that we try to share as much knowledge and information as we can to organise these two games. We both want to create a great legacy of regeneration, greater sports participation and volunteers who will help out with the two games.
"There are ways we can save money by sharing ideas and expertise."
He went on: "This is also about inspiring people. When Liz McColgan won Olympic medals, young girls in Leamington Spa in England did not think 'I don't care because she is Scottish' – instead they were inspired to become athletes. Likewise, I'm sure that Kelly Holmes, when she won her two Olympic golds, was an inspiration to young girls in Glasgow, Edinburgh and around Scotland."
He also praised the Olympic gold-medal winning sailor Shirley Robertson, who gave evidence yesterday to parliament's health and sports committee about encouraging people to take up sport. Lord Coe stressed that the Olympics would benefit Scotland greatly. "Scotland has world-class training camps at places like Strathclyde University which will be used.
"You have to remember 80 per cent of the bids for training camps in Scotland were accepted and they were seen as amongst the best.
"Already, a business in Fife – Mason Land Survey – has surveyed the whole land of the Olympic Park in London and produced the GIS (geographical information survey] map for the work which will be needed to be done there. And there will be many more business opportunities for Scottish companies."
He also warned that it was vital that ordinary participation sports were boosted. "A lot of people seem to think that general participation and elite sports are not linked, but they are," he said. "Part of the legacy of both 2012 and 2014 is that there needs to be the infrastructure and pathways in place for people to take up sport."
He added: "I was pleased to talk to the health and sports committee about that and see that they are taking the issue so seriously."
He spoke to The Scotsman as MSPs yesterday passed the Glasgow Commonwealth Games Bill, putting in place measures aimed at ensuring Scotland's 2014 Games are a success.
The legislation prohibits unauthorised ticket sales and "ambush" marketing, and provides powers to address transport and land-purchase issues.
Under terms set out by the Commonwealth Games Federation, the Scottish Government gave a commitment that, when Glasgow won, legislation covering these areas would be in place by 2010.
SCOTS FIRMS CASHING INMORE than 200 Scottish companies have applied for contracts linked to the Olympic Games.
Paul Deighton, the chief executive of the London Olympic Games Organising Committee (Logoc), revealed the figure yesterday as he said that all parts of the UK would benefit from the event.
The 200-plus firms have signed up to a network from which work for the games will be awarded. Subcontracts will be chosen from the network, after the main contractors are selected by Logoc, which will prepare for and stage the games, and the Olympic Delivery Authority, the public body responsible for building new venues and infrastructure.
Construction work on the infrastructure is already under way in London and Mr Deighton said contracts for the events – including for equipment suppliers, caterers and cleaners – are due to start being awarded next year.
Mr Deighton said Scottish workers could follow the example set by Australian event organisers, who he said continue to be in demand following the success of the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
"The Sydney Olympics was the biggest and most successful event ever and the Australians managed to turn that expertise into a sustainable business. There's no reason why UK businesses can't do the same," Mr Deighton said.
He said it had become easier to sell Scottish businesses on the benefits of the Olympics following Glasgow's successful bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2014.
The full article contains 917 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
