London 2012: Blair Not Guilty of Improper Lobbying

Tony Blair has been cleared of acting improperly in helping London win the right to host the 2012 Olympics.

The prime minister had been accused of breaking strict bidding rules by travelling here with his wife Cherie three days before the vote last Wednesday and meeting more than 20 of the 116 members of the International Olympic Committee.

The organisers of the Paris bid, which had been the favourite, had complained privately that this had put them at a disadvantage because France's president Jacques Chirac had arrived only on the eve of the final vote.

Blair had controversially entertained key IOC members privately in his hotel suite in an effort to persuade them to vote for London. But Jacques Rogge, the president of the IOC, exonerated him, praising instead British efforts to bring the Games to London for the first time since 1948.

"What we call political influence is if a member would be swayed in his decision for political ideology reasons," he said. "I do not believe Tony Blair asked any of the members to join the Labour party.

"Mr Blair was very successful in selling the idea that members should vote for London. London won because it was a great bid. Its candidature file was outstanding."

New rules were introduced by the IOC after the expulsion or resignation of 10 members because it emerged in 1998 that they had been involved in accepting inducements to vote for Salt Lake City to host the 2002 Winter Olympics. These included a ban on IOC members visiting bidding cities. But Paris has complained that London overstepped the mark on several occasions.

"Contrary to what some say, the candidate cities respected the rules," said Rogge. "Sometimes they were very close to the limit, sometimes we had to give them a little slap on the fingers."

The joy at London's victory has been overshadowed by the terrorist attacks in the capital less than 24 hours later. But Rogge again made it clear there is no danger of the Olympics being moved because of security concerns and that he believes the 2012 games will help heal last Thursday's scars.

"I'm appalled by the barbaric attack at the heart of London, an Olympic host city," he said. "I have sent letters of condolence to Ken Livingstone, Tony Blair and, of course, Sebastian Coe."

Rogge plans to visit London in the near future to demonstrate the Olympic movement's support.

"We believe sport will bring a lot of happiness to the people of London in the future," he said. "We stand absolutely united with London at this difficult time."

Coe yesterday stressed the importance of ensuring London's Games live up to their billing by persuading more young people to participate in sport.

Coe, who is preparing to assume his new role chairing 2012's Local Organising Committee, said: "We have to deliver on the narrative that was so imposing in Singapore on Wednesday - that is, we have to get more young people into sport internationally and domestically.

"We have to find a navigable path for them through a pretty cluttered landscape. They weren't warm words to get us through the election - that is why I set out on that road and I know that is how the whole team feels."