In the first week of July 2005, Britain was on tenterhooks, as decision day loomed for the cities bidding to host the 2012 Olympics; two decades on, the SJA’s Philip Barker looks back at the build-up to London’s name being pulled from IOC President Jacques Rogge’s envelope…
At her first media conference in Lausanne after formally taking office, new International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry hinted that there could be changes to the way hosts of the Olympic cities are chosen.
“Members want to be engaged more in the process, and secondly, there was a very big discussion around when the next host should be awarded,” Coventry revealed, after consulting around 70 IOC members at what was described as a “Pause and Reflect” session.
Not since 2019, when Milan Cortina defeated Stockholm as host city for next year’s Winter Games, has there been an authentic bidding contest. Since then, a “targeted bidding” process has been in place.
Brisbane was the only candidate for 2032 although when the announcement was made, officials tried in vain to pretend it was all one great surprise, but any drama at the announcement had completely evaporated. The same was true for the French Alps and Salt Lake, when they were selected as Winter hosts for 2030 and 2034 respectively.
The absence of a bidding process in recent years has arguably robbed the Olympic movement of one of its best opportunities for promotion between the Games themselves.
Many of us will remember the excitement generated by the London bid.
The vote was taken in Singapore 20 years ago this week. A large contingent from the British media was in attendance, including BBC Television’s Barry Davies. Meanwhile, at the Eurosport studios in Paris, commentators Matt Chilton, Dave Farrar and I had been up since crack of dawn, with a time difference of some seven hours, to describe proceedings “off tube”.
Finally, after what seemed an eternity, IOC President Jacques Rogge pulled open that envelope to announce that the Games had been awarded “to the city of London”. For a moment that involved no actual sport, the tension had set the heart racing.
For some reason, Singaporean ceremony organisers then chose to pipe Sir William Walton’s score from Laurence Olivier’s film ‘Henry V’ into the room. “Victory at Agincourt” wasn’t perhaps the most delicate thing to play.
In the conference hall, David Beckham, not yet a knight, hugged Sir Steve Redgrave, who was. Television also beamed pictures of Dame Kelly Holmes leading the celebrating thousands in Trafalgar Square. We had the privilege of finding the words to go with the pictures of sheer joy and exhilaration. It was the moment of a lifetime.
It was also a moment that had been over 20 years in the making.
After the hugely successful 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, three British cities wanted to bid for 1992.
In a rather cramped room at the Cafe Royal, one very inexperienced young reporter was amongst those who heard first hand that Birmingham had been chosen over Manchester and London as the British bid.
Birmingham lost out as most had predicted they would. Two successive Manchester bids were also unsuccessful.
Manchester was, however, chosen to host the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Their success helped inspire a London bid for 2012, which put the East End at the centre.
Media were summoned to the Tate Modern for the bid logo launch. Olympic colours entwined to represent the River Thames in a clever design so familiar to many from the opening titles of “Eastenders.”
“We chose the Thames because it flows through the centre of London and is the point at which many of the city’s waterways and communities meet,” explained Andy Stanfield of KinoDesign.
‘Back the Bid’ poster issued by Transport for London in 2005 in support of London’s bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games, and designed by Easy Tiger Creative. One of 75 vintage cycling posters we'll be listing this weekend pic.twitter.com/FwpvFiswJ9
— 20th Century Posters (@C20thPosters) February 2, 2022
Another set piece also harnessed the “Eastenders” theme. Barbara Windsor (aka Peggy Mitchell, landlady of the Queen Vic) joined Seb Coe to sign a giant flag as schoolgirl Amber Charles took the bid book to Lausanne.
They stopped short of using the music, but a promotional video did include Martine McCutcheon, better known in EastEnders as Tiffany.
By this time, few remembered the bid had originally been led by American businesswoman Barbara Cassani, or that other bidding cities included Havana, Istanbul, Leipzig, and Rio de Janeiro.
That quartet didn’t make the IOC’s preliminary cut, and soon Cassani also disappeared from view as Seb Coe took centre stage.
During the Athens 2004 Games, each city was permitted a media conference. Paris put triple Olympic gold medallist Marie-Jose Perec on the top table, but never gave her an opportunity to speak. By contrast, London’s presentation was authoritative, lively and youthful.
It largely negated the impact of a BBC Panorama documentary, which highlighted questionable activities by some Olympic sports officials.
In fact, one of the individuals was eventually expelled from the IOC.
In February 2005, the IOC’s Evaluation Commission, led by 1984 Olympic gold medallist Nawal El Moutawakel, came to London.
“I’ve seen the Olympic Games transform lives, so the London Olympic Games will transform the lives of those it touches, not just in this generation but in the next generation,” London 2012 Bid Chairman Seb Coe told the commission.
“All around the world, we will beam pictures of packed stadiums, of sporting events framed by some of the most famous landmarks in the world, of enthusiastic crowds cheering on competitors, of a nation that knows how to welcome the world.”
Even the traffic lights taking officials to Wimbledon magically turned green. “Surely there can be no better setting for the tennis.”
Horse Guards Parade was to provide a “unique and striking home” for beach volleyball. IOC members visited Lord’s Cricket Ground to try archery, and London’s landmarks were illuminated with bid images.
They festooned the Mall with banners, and The Queen was waiting at Buckingham Palace with the Princess Royal, IOC Member and British Olympic Association President.
They all dined on sea bass with wild mushrooms, breast of duck, and caramelised pear tart.
In the weeks that followed, buses and Underground trains all carried the bid logo.
Coe and bid Chief Executive Keith Mills appeared before the media in London one final time before heading to Singapore.
Prime Minister Tony Blair flew out to greet IOC members. Many believe his presence in the days before the vote was crucial. Beckham was also there and made headlines wherever he went.
The presentation team included Tessa Jowell, then Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, and London Mayor Ken Livingstone.
They all wore jackets in a shade of beige to delight Richie Benaud, and maroon cream, and light blue striped ties.
On Decision Day, the Paris presentation was first, followed by New York. Moscow’s pitch featured a video message from Vladimir Putin speaking English, then London and Madrid.
When voting began, Moscow were the first to be eliminated, then New York and Madrid.
After the final ballot, there was an agonising wait before the decision was announced.
When it was over, I walked back along the Seine. At the Eiffel Tower, and Hotel de Ville, they were dismantling Paris 2012 signs.
Back at Waterloo Station, newspaper billboards were full of Olympic news.
The arch at Wembley was lit in celebration and all was right with the world.
Except that the next morning was July 7th, when news of terrorist bombs provided the most horrific contrast possible.
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