Mandela backs London bid
2005-04-06 15:06
Johannesburg - Former President Nelson Mandela is backing London's bid to host the 2012 Olympics.
"There is no city like London," the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize winner said in a statement on Wednesday. "It is a wonderfully diverse and open city providing a home to hundreds of different nationalities from all over the world.
"I can't think of a better place than London to hold an event that unites the world. London would offer something very special to the Olympic Movement, including great new sporting facilities and a legacy for generations to come."
London is competing against New York, Paris, Madrid and Moscow in the highest-profile bid race in Olympic history. The International Olympic Committee will select the host city on July 6.
"Nelson Mandela's backing for London 2012 is a powerful indication of the breadth of support that our bid is receiving all over the world," British Sports Minister Richard Caborn said at a news conference.
Caborn and bid chairperson Sebastian Coe met on Monday with Mandela, who did not attend the news conference. The anti-apartheid leader has been a strong advocate of using sport to unite people.
- AP