Could the Olympics return to London sooner than we think?
London 2012 remains a golden glow in many memories – but could we see the Games return to the city in the not-too-distant future?
London mayor Sadiq Khan said he would like to see the Olympic and Paralympic Games return to London in 2040.
London has hosted the Games on three occasions: 1908, the rescheduled Olympics in 1948, and the spectacular 2012 edition. If Mr Khan gets his wish, London would become the first city to host the Games four times.
The news came with that of a report by the mayor’s office showing major sporting events hosted in the capital last year generated a £230m boost for London’s economy.
“Building on London’s success, the mayor has talked up his ambition to bring more of the biggest sporting events in the world to London. Sadiq has expressed his support for a bid for the Olympics and Paralympics to return to London in 2040,” said the announcement.
At 28 years between the last Games and 2040, it would be the shortest timeframe in which a city has rehosted a summer Olympic and Paralympics.
London and Paris are the only two cities to have hosted three runnings of the modern Games, although Los Angeles will soon join that exclusive club with LA28. Tokyo and Athens have also hosted twice.
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A spokesperson for British Equestrian told H&H: “The spectacle and success of London 2012 was pivotal for sport in this country and positively impacted an entire generation. A bid to have the Games back on British soil – or any global Championships – would be very welcome and undoubtedly have our endorsement. We’ll watch with interest for any further developments.”
“I was in Paris last summer and I saw the transformation of their city,” said Mr Khan, in an exclusive interview with The Times. “But we could knock it out of the park in relation to the Olympics, using the assets we already have in the aquatics centre, the stadium, the velodrome. And we could have some events outside London too. London could be a hub.”
He said 2040 makes sense for London “because we could do it in a brilliant way, but also very cheaply”, in reference to existing infrastructure that already exists, adding that “the benefits would be humongous”.
In the announcement, Mr Khan added: “London is the sporting capital of the world and I am proud that we have such a strong track record of staging the biggest and best international events in our great city.
“This report highlights the significant economic and cultural benefits major sporting events provide for our city and the huge pride and excitement they create for Londoners and visitors.
“These events shine a global spotlight on the capital and inspire young Londoners to get involved in grassroots sport, and I am focused on bringing even more to our city as we work together to build a better, healthier, more prosperous London for all.”
UK Sport director of events Simon Morton said: “Live sport is a fundamental part of the UK’s social fabric, and this is embodied brilliantly by London and its love of hosting global sport.
“We welcome these findings as further, compelling evidence of the truly beneficial economic impact that is being felt by towns and cities that host major sporting events. With our event hosting partners, we aim to continue bringing more global sporting events to the UK that help reach, inspire and unite the nation.”
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Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.