London bid at risk from Athens bungles

London's hopes of staging the Olympic Games in 2012 may be wrecked if Athens loses the race to be ready for the event this year because of delays in completing facilities.

London's hopes of staging the Olympic Games in 2012 may be wrecked if Athens loses the race to be ready for the event this year because of delays in completing facilities.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been convinced by representatives of the new Greek government, elected three weeks ago, that the facilities will be completed on time, after many setbacks and delays.

But senior sources in the IOC have told The Independent on Sunday that if Athens lost the desperate sprint to the finish, they would be reluctant to select another host city where many of the principal venues need to be built or required substantial upgrading. "It may be seen as a risk we dare not take after this experience," he said.

London comes into that category, with much of the proposed Olympic planning based around regeneration proposals for the East End of London, including a new Olympic Stadium.

So while London bid chiefs will be crossing their fingers and hoping all begins - and ends - well in Athens in August, its main rival Paris may be secretly thinking that a worst-case scenario would enhance their chances. For unlike London, Paris already has 80 per cent of its essential facilities up and running.

London not only has to build a new stadium but it needs a suitable 50m swimming pool, although one is promised even if the bid, to be decided next summer, is unsuccessful.

Olympic observers say there would be fewer concerns over construction or transportation in Paris, compared with London or Athens, where organisers insist the Games schedule is now "back on course".

The Stade de France, which would be the focal point for an Olympics held in Paris, is tried and trusted, after hosting world championships in football and athletics in recent years.

The IOC's greatest worry remains the protracted refurbishment of the Olympic Stadium in Athens, and while declining to cite any particular city the IOC source said: "Obviously if there are facilities already in place that have been tested, are known to work well and meet Olympic requirements then this has to be of some influence in deciding where the Games are held in future. We would not wish to experience again the sort of delays we have seen in Athens."

London's 2012 bid team disagree that the setbacks in Athens could harm the capital's prospects. "That is certainly not the feedback we are getting from the IOC," said a bid spokesperson.

"London does have many of its permanent and temporary venues already in place, such as Lord's, where archery will be held, Hyde Park for the triathlon, Bisley for shooting and Wimbledon for tennis, as well as the Dome. And work will begin soon on a new pool and on the stadium the moment we win the bid.

"Far fewer venues for the smaller events will be required than either in Athens this summer or in Beijing in 2008. We believe London's mix of old and new facilities could be a real advantage, and that we are better placed than some of our rivals to leave a strong sporting legacy."

London's bid may also have been damaged by a radio interview given by Simon Clegg, the chief executive of the British Olympic Association, who said it would consider withdrawing the British team from the Athens Games if their safety could not be guaranteed. This caused anger among the IOC and irritation in Athens, where Games officials claimed that on a recent visit Mr Clegg had expressed "total satisfaction" with security measures. Mr Clegg has subsequently told them the reported remarks were "distorted".

Changes have been made to the security operation and building schedules since the new right-wing government led by Costas Karamanlis swept into power three weeks go. The Prime Minister has taken personal charge of all Olympic matters and has brought in a new "hit man" to command the Games operations on the ground.

He is Spyros Capralos, 49, a former Olympic water polo player who takes over as general secretary for the Games after his predecessor said he could not work with the new government. Mr Capralos immediately advised the scrapping of the controversial roof over the swimming arena which he describes as "a necessary and sensible decision to ensure that the swimming events would not be in jeopardy".

"We acknowledge that there have been problems in the past with delays but this is a new administration and decisions are now taken the same day and not in a matter of weeks," he said yesterday.

"We are now back on schedule and we promise all deadlines will be met.

"We are a proud nation and there is no way we will allow the Games which are our heritage and which we brought to the world, to be tarnished in any way. We will do whatever it takes." His view was echoed by Denis Oswald, the Swiss lawyer who heads the IOC team now holding talks with the government in Athens. "We are confident everything is still possible and will be finished in time," he said. London will be hoping he is right.