Olympic Games 2012: Gate-crasher's Guide to the Galaxy of Presidents and Shakers

Olympic votes often make for strange bedfellows, where past animosities are laid aside in the sporting spirit of friendship, or at least the choreographed appearance of it. However frosty the atmosphere might have been at the recent EU summit, Singapore witnessed a charming resurrection of the entente cordiale yesterday and, thanks to distracted security guards, so did I.

While chatting to Sergei Bubka, International Olympic Committee member and still the world pole vault record holder, word came that Tony Blair and his wife were on the roof bar in the Esplanade-Theatres in the Bay. Deciding to take a look, we suddenly found ourselves following Hillary Clinton as the former first lady strode towards the lifts. As security guards whispered into their wrists, I swept through and into elevators. I doubt if I'd manage the same at Gleneagles tomorrow.

Fun though it was to slip past security at the biggest event Singapore has ever hosted, what followed was well worth whatever danger it might have posed to my future accreditation for IOC sessions.

The Prime Minister was chatting to a distinguished IOC member when suddenly the French president, Jacques Chirac butted in. For a moment there were visions of a stand-up row over BSE or a snarling debate on the shortcomings of greasy spoons. But no. Amid a flurry of mostly French flashbulbs Chirac warmly greeted Blair with a handshake. Then he kissed Cherie on both cheeks. Never mind the rebate or the hand-outs to Provençal farmers, all was well again at the heart of Europe. London's bid leader Seb Coe recorded the historic moment on a mobile phone camera for posterity.

Chirac had clearly fancied the photo call and his mandarins shepherded him deliberately towards Blair's striped-tied brigade. Backslaps followed amid much nervous hilarity, relieved somewhat by the kiss on both cheeks for Mrs Blair. The gathering lasted but a few seconds before Chirac took his leave.

The Blairs have been here for several days whereas Chirac has just arrived and, for a weary press corps, has novelty value. Cameras focused on him as the first person to greet him was Lamine Diack, the president of the International Association of Athletics Federations.

Elsewhere loyalty to bidding cities was swept aside in the rush to worship celebrity. David Beckham so excited the female members of the French contingent that half a dozen of them rushed towards him, wearing their "Paris 2012" badges proudly. An excited waitress dropped her tray full of glasses. She laughed and was clearly stunned when Beckham consoled her.

Singapore may never have witnessed such a concentration of fame. Ian Thorpe, darling of Australian swimming, had left the opening session early, getting up at 6am to train in a private 50-metre pool before fronting up for New York's final presentation.

Miguel Indurain, the five-times Tour de France winner in Madrid's camp, seemed bored with the minutiae of discreet lobbying.

Sven-Goran Eriksson discovered it pays to be an Olympian in these parts. The England football manager was virtually ignored with the focus instead on Matthew Pinsent, Cathy Freeman and Sir Steve Redgrave.

Even Tessa Jowell was more popular. As the culture secretary walked across the room she was buttonholed by Sam Ramsamy, one of the leading lights in the anti-apartheid movement. Dick Pound, the influential head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, the president of the IOC's evaluation commission Nawal El Moutawakel and the world mile record holder Hicham El Guerrouj followed suit.

For Blair this was the last room to be worked before flying off to the G8 summit. Did he pull it off? We will find out later today.