Summer 2012
Imagine Athens

A look back at British successes during last summer's Olympic games in Athens.
Summer 2012
The London Masterplan

How London would be transformed by hosting the Olympic and Paralympic games in the summer of 2012.
Summer 2012
Sport at heart
A glance into the sporting soul of London.

London has been chosen as the host venue of the 2012 Olympic Games.

The British capital was up against competition from New York, Moscow, Madrid and Paris as five of the world's greatest cities aiming for the right to stage the world's greatest sporting event.

In the past few years Manchester has hosted the Commonwealth Games and Birmingham the World Indoor Championships, with the Manchester Games in particular hailed as an enormous success.

The UK is a multinational, multicultural, sporting nation - sport unites the whole country. Sport continues to stimulate huge debate, arguments, agreements and, on occasions, much controversy. Sport successes matter in the UK and what better place to achieve these honours in one of sport’s most prestigious events than in our home country?

Eminent British Olympians are and involved in bringing the games to London, including Lord Sebastian Coe OBE, Chairman of the London 2012 Board, Sir Steven Redgrave, the Chairman of the Athlete’s Advisory Committee, and HRH Princess Anne, President of the British Olympic Association.

Athletes are the ones who compete, have the experience and "do the job". Who better to devise and design the Olympic Games bid than those ones who know the Games?

There are 30 categories of sport, which will be played over 26 venues. London will provide the most spectacular setting for the Games.

The landmarks, familiar to those around the world would provide the backdrop for the Olympics - The Greenwich Observatory, Regents and Hyde Park, Horse Guards Parade, and outside London, Old Trafford, the Millennium Stadium and the rowing lakes at Eton Dorney.

A brand new Olympic Park is being built in the east end, which includes an Olympic Village to house 17,000 athletes and officials. For the first time the athletes are housed together and be within a short distance of their competing venue.

An 80,000 seat Olympic Stadium, a world-class aquatics centre, the new Hockey Centre, Velodome and BMX track whilst four multi sport arenas would be the setting for fencing, volleyball, basketball and handball.

London has witnessed many of the world’s greatest sporting moments, played in the world’s greatest sporting venues. The worldwide home of football is Wembley - home to The FA Cup Final and England and the new and improved 90,000 capacity stadium is due to re-open in 2006.

Also included in the London bid are iconic venues such as Lords, Wimbledon and Twickenham.

After the Closing Ceremony of the 2012 Games, London would provide a lasting legacy for the future of the City in health, homes, jobs and sport.

The venues will still exist long after the Games have left the London, inspiring a new generation of sportsmen and sportswomen to sporting achievements, encourage a healthy and active nation, and to give more support and opportunities to those athletes who represent our nation.

To find out more about London's successful bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games, click here

For more information on London's Olympic bid watch the videos at the top of this page.