Olympic success in 2012 threatened by lack of planning

Olympic success in 2012 threatened by lack of planning

Thursday, 24, Jul 2008 12:01

Lack of appropriate planning and private sector fundraising threatens UK athletes' success in the 2012 Olympic Games, according to a Committee of Public Accounts (CPA) report.

In one report regarding potential team success, Great Britain's medal table goals were set at second and fourth respectively for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

This summer's Beijing Games will be the key for indicating progress, said Edward Leigh MP, chairman of the CPA.

"UK Sport must publish an action plan soon afterwards clarifying the effect of the Beijing performances on the firmed up 2012 medal targets, both overall and for individual sports," he said.

At least £100 million from the private sector is needed to achieve proposed medal prospects in the 2012 Olympics, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is not yet "off the starting blocks" with the fundraising, according to the report.

"If the sum eventually raised is too little or too late, then that might harm our teams' medal prospects," Mr Leigh said. "There must be a Plan B for protecting the funds of the sports most likely to win medals in 2012."

A separate report said arrangements to manage the entire programme are not yet in place, and expresses concern about the department's vigilance to control increasing costs.

"There will be pressure to change venues and infrastructure; the delivery bodies must be quite clear about the costs of any such changes and their consequences for the programme," Mr Leigh said.

He added that "the rocky state of the financial and property markets has not helped efforts, so far unsuccessful, to reach a deal with the private sector to build the Olympic Village, expected to cost more than £1 billion."

According to the report, the department has assured the CPA the current £9.3 billion public funding budget for the Games will not be exceeded.