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London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Bill

The noble Baroness indicated that this was a difficult and contentious amendment. All I can say is that I quake at what is to come if this is defined in those terms. Let me make the obvious point. Everybody knows what is meant by the games of the Thirtieth Olympiad. The main part of the games will be the sporting events that take place in London in the summer of 2012. However, the games go beyond sport, and, in line with the International Olympic Committee’s host city contract, there will be an ongoing, nationwide cultural festival to accompany the sporting occasion. It will include, for instance, the relay for the Olympic torch before the games and the Olympic carnival to be held during their course. The point of Clause 1(2) is to make clear that when the Bill refers to the London Olympics, it refers to the official cultural events to be held under the aegis of the games as well as to the major sporting events which we all understand. I also want to make it clear that the events to be held outside London form part of the official definition of the London Olympics. The clause states that a reference to the ““London Olympics”” includes, in particular, the non-sporting events that are required under the host city contract and the events due to take place outside London. We use the words ““in particular”” to emphasise the inclusion of these two classes. The amendment would take that away. Of course I accept that the main focus of the Olympics will be on sport and on London, where the majority of the activities are to take place, but the central meaning of the ““London Olympics”” is in fact the games of the Thirtieth Olympiad and the Paralympic Games that will take place in the same year. It is important to recognise the wider scope of the games. We are obliged to recognise it, but we do so with great enthusiasm because they represent the breadth of the concept of the Thirtieth Olympiad. Given that, I hope the noble Baroness will feel able to withdraw her amendment.