Archives for October 2009

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I spend a lot of my time talking to Londoners about 2012 but in the past two weeks, my producer Summer Hurwitz and I have been quizzing people near the Olympic Park intensely about whether they think there will be a real legacy from the Games.

With just more than 1,000 days to go to the opening ceremony, we found plenty of critics who don't believe the promises made during the bid are being kept, especially those about jobs and training, housing and sporting opportunities.

We've been making a film for BBC One's Inside Out programme in London. You can see it on Monday October 26 at 1930 GMT on BBC One or watch it here..

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London Mayor Boris Johnson and Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell have made peace in a heated row over Olympic venues, I can reveal.

I understand that a breakfast meeting took place this morning when Johnson agreed to drop his campaign for the shooting events to be moved from Woolwich to the east London borough of Barking.

In return, Jowell agreed to back the Mayor's hopes of moving the badminton and rhythmic gymnastics to Wembley.

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A leading Olympic official grabbed me the other day and asked the question: "What on earth is all this stuff about Barking?"

The sudden appearance of the east London borough as a potential 2012 venue for either shooting or badminton and rhythmic gymnastics has caused astonishment in some Olympic circles.

I understand the idea of "Olympic Barking" is more about UK politics than sport.

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I've been talking regularly to International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge for more than a decade now.

When he took over from Juan Antonio Samaranch in 2001, he became more diplomatic in his answers to my questions. It came with the job.

So it is interesting that he made it crystal clear to me in an interview this week that there will be no messing with London 2012 chiefs if they stray too far from their promises during the bid.

I was talking to him about Boris Johnson's anger with 2012 at plans to build a £40 million temporary venue near the 02 in Greenwich.

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