► To Support the London 2012 bid

To support the London 2012 bid

 

This Union notes:

 

1.                   That London is a candidate city for the 2012 Olympic Games, together with Madrid, New York, Paris and Moscow.

2.                   That the London 2012 bid document will be submitted to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on 15^th November, with an IOC visit scheduled for February 2005 and the final decision being made on June 6^th, 2005.

3.                   That the Olympic Park would be located in Stratford, East London, which will be approximately 12 minutes from King’s Cross on the Crossrail line, providing world class sports facilities within easy reach of many London HEIs.

4.                   The success of the games in Sydney and Athens.

5.                   The improvement of sports facilities in Australia and Greece linked to the hosting of the games.

6.                   The improvement in the performance of teams from the host nation during each Olympiad.

7.                   That the London bid has the support of the National Government, The British Olympic Association, the Mayor of London, the Greater London Authority, and the London Development Agency.

8.                   The proposed redevelopment of East London through hosting the Games, of which around 40% will be earmarked as affordable housing.

9.                   That one of the 11 criteria against which the bid will be assessed will be the level of public support around the country.

10.                That the Olympic Games are the biggest sporting event on Earth, and that the Paralympics is the second largest.

 

This Union further notes:

 

1.                   That as a sector which would directly benefit from the Games, Higher Education, and Higher Education sport in particular, has the ability to influence a large proportion of the UK population by convincing friends, families and colleagues of the benefits that accrue from hosting the Games.

2.                   That the London 2012 bid is generating approximately 4 times more press coverage than all the other bids put together.

3.                   That whilst the vast majority of competition will take place in London, the entire country stands to benefit from London hosting the Games.

4.                   That around half of the athletes who competed for Team GB in Athens were current or former students in Higher Education.

5.                   That the Chancellor of the University, HRH The Princess Royal, is a member of the IOC.

6.                   That the Olympic Charter and the spirit of the Games lie very closely with the fundamental beliefs of ULU and the student movement in that it believes that every human being has the right to practise sport without the fear of discrimination of any kind.

 

This Union believes:

 

1.                   That the London 2012 bid is the strongest of all bids for the 2012 games.

2.                   That this Union has a duty to support where possible the commercial and social development of London and that this stands to benefit London’s students.

3.                   That the opportunities created by hosting the Games for students will be huge, as competitors, spectators, workers or volunteers.

4.                   That Universities stand to benefit from the location of training and preparation camps in the years before the Games.

5.                   That sporting and business benefit to the UK as a whole will be huge.

6.                   That formally supporting the bid will send a clear statement of intent that London’s students are in favour of the Games coming to London.

 

This Union further believes:

 

1.                   That to attract training and preparation camps, Universities will have to improve their sporting facilities, creating a direct benefit for current and future students.

2.                   That the University and its constituent institutions stand to gain from the legacy that hosting the Games in London would provide.

 

This Union resolves:

 

1.                   To give formal support to the London 2012 bid by:

1.1               Promoting London 2012 together with ULU material, where practicable.

1.2               Encouraging students to make a statement of support on www.london2012.com.

1.3               Encouraging fellow College Union Officers to promote the bid, and investigate ways of working with them to achieve this aim.

2.                   To organise a presentation on the bid, the benefits that will accrue to the UK, and how London’s students can help secure the 2012 Games for London.

3.                   To investigate, and carry out where beneficial and practicable, all other means of supporting the bid.

 

 

Proposed by:        Jim Eynon, ULU, V-P [Sports & Societies]

Seconded by:         Matt Cooke, ULU, President