World-class venues highlight Britain's sporting heritage

"It was a really great experience," says the former FIFA World Player of the Year. "There was a huge crowd and the culture of football is there. It is a beautiful place. I don't even know how to explain it. It was a different feeling - a special place for sure."

And though the Liberian superstar has more pressing matters to attend to - not least of which is his candidacy in October's Liberian Presidential election - he fondly remembers the place Pele calls the Church of Football. As a matter of fact Wembley is a venue that Pele to this day regrets having not played.

Demonstrating an uncanny grasp of diplomacy, Weah stops short of endorsing one 2012 bid over another. A journalist is reminded that Weah played several seasons in France with Marseilles and with Paris St Germain. In addition he is married to an American and has a home in New York.

"London is a beautiful place. And I think it deserves (the 2012 Olympics) too," he declares. "All of the cities, Paris is a beautiful place too, they are worthy, but they have to bid and have to work hard to host it. All of the nations - New York is a beautiful place, London is a beautiful place. Paris too."

Weah laughs when he is accused of sounding like a politician. But he cannot deny that Britain's sporting tradition is steeped in tradition and festivity.

Aside from giving the world football and thereafter building virtual temples to the game - Hampden Park, Villa Park, Old Trafford as well as Wembley - the sports of cricket, rugby and tennis owe their origin to the British.

Should London be successful in winning the Olympic 2012 bid visitors will be treated to a first class football tournament that will kick off at many of these historic stadia. And historic no longer means decrepit. Old Trafford, for instance, is to undergo a dramatic transformation and by 2012 will have a seating capacity of 75,000. St James Park, the oldest stadium in northeast England and the home of Newcastle United, will also be an Olympic football venue as will the new Wembley Stadium currently undergoing construction on the original site. It was here that the 1948 Olympic Games and the 1966 World Cup were held.

The new Wembley with its 130m arch will have a capacity of 90,000 and is set to open next year in time for the F.A. Cup to be played there. And what do all these venues have in common? All of them were built specifically for football and most importantly they are well served by modern motorways and railways enabling spectators to travel about the beautiful English countryside freely.

To world class cricket players there is no greater honour than having one's name inscribed on a plaque inside the dressing rooms at Lord's. The names of Sir Garfield Sobers and Sir Viv Richards, both of the West Indies, Donald Bradman and Steve Waugh of Australia and India's Sunil Gavaskar are prominent. In fact, any batsman scoring a century there or a bowler taking five wickets is included. Over the years there have been some outstanding moments including the 100th Test Match played at Lord's in 2000. England, the hosts, beat the West Indies over the three days of play.

Lord's also hosted the 1999 Cricket World Cup Final in which Australia beat Pakistan before a large crowd. Despite the fact the grounds are an historic sporting venue - one of the most recognisable in the world - the Marylebone Cricket Club has kept it up to date. The Pavilion recently underwent an £8 million facelift and the Natwest Media Pavilion was opened in 1999.

Considering that the first cricket match played at Lord's was between English county teams from Middlesex and Essex in 1787 there are few venues with as much history. Although cricket is not an Olympic sport Lord's will be included in the London Olympic Games as the venue for the Olympic archery tournament.

Tennis rejoined the Olympic Movement as a full medal sport at the 1988 Seoul Olympics attracting many of the world's greatest players. If London is successful in its bid to host the 2012 Games Wimbledon's centre court will also be the site of the Olympic tennis finals.

Wimbledon, home of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, remains the only major grass court venue in world class tennis. Since 1877 it has been the site of "Wimbledon" the most prestigious tennis tournament among the grand slams. Visitors to Wimbledon can also enjoy the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum which displays memorabilia donated by many of the world's top players.

History buffs will be delighted to know that many of London's famous tourist sites will be incorporated into the proposed Olympic marathon route.The proposed 2012 route begins at Tower Bridge and traverses three laps of the city centre before finishing at the new state of the art Olympic Stadium in east London. Runners will pass some of the most famous landmarks in the city including the London Eye, Buckingham Palace and St. Paul's Cathedral cheered on by enormous crowds who have supported the Flora London Marathon for over twenty years helping it to become the premier city marathon in the world.

Since its inclusion in the modern Olympics beach volleyball has proven one of the most popular Olympic sports. Fitting then that Horse Guards Parade, where the Trooping of the Colour is held each year to celebrate the Queen's birthday, will be the venue for beach volleyball.

Each day 15,000 spectators can sit on the very same site where the Horse Guards who have guarded the British monarchy since 1745. Downing Street in which the British Prime Minister's residence is located and Buckingham Palace home of her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth 11 are both a short walk across nearby St Jame's Park.

Wimbledon, the London Marathon, Wembley Stadium - the city of London has a proven sports tradition supported by millions around the country. It is not surprising that London 2012 supporters are confident that when the IOC votes in Singapore they will be unable to deny the city's unparalleled sporting history.