Source: Daily_Mail
Alan Pascoe: Spurs bid leaves us with nothing
If Spurs are given the Olympic Stadium it will break a promise made to the whole world - namely, to leave an athletics legacy for Britain in London.[LNB] It would be a betrayal of all the athletes who will march through that stadium and take the Olympic oath. They will not have the opportunity to say to their children: 'That is where I represented my country.'[LNB] Renege on our undertaking to the IOC and none of our future bidsfor international sporting events will have any credibility. Nobodywill believe us again.[LNB] It would probably go beyond that because many of the powerbrokersin sport are also international businessmen and it would damage ourtrade reputation and the country's reputation. I believe Prime MinisterDavid Cameron, London Mayor Boris Johnson and Culture Secretary JeremyHunt should stop this nonsense before it goes any further.[LNB] A few weeks ago, David Cameron expressed his dismay that a numberof FIFA executives had looked him in the eye and promised to supportEngland's World Cup bid, and then reneged on them. Yet we are about torenege on the most public promise that could be made in sport.[LNB] How can we possibly bulldoze half-a-billion pounds worth ofNational Lottery investment and taxpayers' money after just four weeksof use at the Games?[LNB] It would leave London with nothing, leave athletics with nothing,leave other sports with nothing, leave the country with nothing, butmost of all it will leave the kids with nothing.[LNB] The young people are the ones who will want to compete there, to beinspired by it. Whether they are hockey or rugby players, cricketers orathletes, they will all have their chance to play there.[LNB] Under construction: The Olympic Stadium is now taking shape[LNB] Inspiring the next generation was what the whole bid in 2005 wasbased upon, as so eloquently presented by Seb Coe and supported by thewhole of British sport and all three major political parties.[LNB] If Spurs win we will just get the same sport as they already have at White Hart Lane - 40 days of elite football a year.[LNB] Spurs intend to spend money on improving the athletics stadium at Crystal Palace as a sop to track and field. But, as Ken Livingstone has said, thinking that £25-30million will sort it out is delusional. When he was mayor, they looked at revamping Crystal Palace and it needed £200m spent on it.[LNB] So Spurs' plans would mean Britain started the Olympic bidding process with the compromise that is Crystal Palace and would end up with it still as a compromise after the Games. There is just not enough hotel space or adequate transport links to host major events there.[LNB] The only plus point, if you can call it that, of the Spurs bid is that it is self-serving for the club's own money-men - they will save £200m in the building of their stadium. And it will make them another £200-300m in naming rights and increased gate money.[LNB] Their own fans don't want it and the community doesn't want it. Like the rest of British sport, I fully support the Newham-West Ham bid. It's financially viable and offers a new stadium for football and many other sports while maintaining a track for local clubs and kids to use. It will also allow world, European and national championships to be staged there.[LNB] Throw that away and we will be the laughing stock of the world.[LNB] Alan Pascoe won gold in the 400m hurdles at the 1974 Commonwealth Games[LNB] Crystal clear: Palace put forward stadium plans to rock Spurs 2012 bidLord Coe warned over plan to rip up track at the Olympic StadiumTottenham Hotspur v West Ham United: The key points in the battle to take over the Olympic Stadium [LNB] [LNB] Explore more:People: Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson, David Cameron Places: London, Olympic Stadium
