Coe updates IOC Session in Turin

The double Olympic gold medallist delivered a message from British Prime Minister Tony Blair, thanking members for choosing London to host the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

In his message, the Prime Minister said: "It was a great honour for us that you placed your trust and belief in London to be a guardian of the Olympic spirit ... these preparations are already underway and we won't let you down."

Coe outlined the early progress on the London Games, including the establishment and recruitment of senior staff and executives for the Organising Committee and the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA).

"We made a commitment to you in Singapore, that with funding, planning permission and much of the land in place to stage the Games, we would start work the very next day if London was selected as the Olympic host city and that's exactly what we did," he said.

The IOC were also updated with the key priorities for 2006 including the marketing and sponsorship Programme, developing venue and infrastructure specifications, testing and validating plans for Olympic Park, completing the acquisition of land for the Olympic Park and putting in place the procurement strategy for the construction of venues and infrastructure.

A core team of London 2012 Games staff are in Turin to study the operation of the Turin Winter Games.

Click here to read press release and download full speech

9th February 2006