“With a year to go, we are inviting the athletes, spectators and visitors from around the world to come to the UK next summer. It’s ‘London Calling’,” These were the words of Sebastian Coe, gold medallist in 1,500 metres at the Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1994 Olympics and chairman, London 2012 Olympics.
Coe was speaking last Wednesday at the official one year countdown to the commencement of the 2012 Olympics to be hosted by London. At Trafalgar Square, Jacques Rogge, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President formally invited athletes to an event, which held that evening.
Rogge noted that with one year to the Olympics is a special time for any nation hosting the Olympics:
“It is the moment... when Olympic dreams start to come into focus and when the world turns its attention in earnest to the city that will welcome it in only 365 days’ time, the IOC chief noted.
London is headed for the record books as the first city to host the games on three occasions having previously done so in 1908 and 1948.
In Nigeria, the event was given a special flavour by Robin Gwynn, the deputy British Commissioner in Lagos.
Unique opportunity
On that day of the official one year countdown, which held at the deputy High Commissioner’s residence, Olympians, retired and active, intermingled with journalists, business leaders, sports administrators and officials of the Lagos State government led by Enitan Oshodin, commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development.
Addressing guests at the event, Gwynn said: “The London 2012 Games is already changing lives around the world through the International Inspiration programme, set up to fulfil our promise to reach young people worldwide and connect them to the power of sport. The programme has now reached 10.8 million children in 16 countries and introduced them to high quality and inclusive sport and physical education, many for the first time in their lives.”
He added that in Nigeria, the programme is helping to develop a new school sports policy to promote sports participation with a focus on quality so that everyone has the opportunity to play.
In addition, he said the International Inspiration project is promoting international school links between the UK and Nigeria, allowing teachers and students to share new ideas and experiences. Gwynn said the programme has helped build the capacity of over 150 teachers and coaches in Nigeria to deliver high quality education and sports.
The deputy British High Commissioner said in addition the games presents an opportunity for cultural exchange; it would also afford business people opportunity to close deals:
“To business people, we invite you to a country that is one of the most open economies of the world, a global transport hub, the easiest place in Europe to set up and run a business; a country that is second in the world for Nobel Prizes in science and technology, and home to one of the world’s largest and dynamic creative sectors.
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