IOC President to invite world’s top athletes to compete at London 2012 Olympics

PanARMENIAN.Net - UK Foreign Secretary William Hague issued a message a year before the launch of London 2012.

“On 27 July, from Trafalgar Square in the heart of London, President Rogge of the International Olympic Committee will address nations around the globe. He will invite the world’s top athletes to form teams to compete at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

It is six years since the UK first won the privilege to host the Games in Singapore, and it has been a remarkable journey since. Everything is on track. Construction of the major venues is complete.

We are on budget, on time and set to deliver a great summer of sport and culture. This is going to be a show to remember – and not just for the sport. Of course the Games are about sporting excellence and extraordinary personal triumphs. But they are also about so much more.

For me, the Olympic and Paralympic Games are about one word above all others: legacy – about the real difference they can make to people’s lives. That’s not just in the host city, or the host country, but around the world. This vision of an enduring legacy is woven into every aspect of the 2012 Games.

For example, East London has already been transformed before our eyes. Some of the greatest architects and engineers in their fields have designed sports venues that our communities and visitors will enjoy for years to come. And they have achieved this with a remarkable commitment to putting sustainability at the heart of the build, making London the first truly ‘green’ Games in history.

But legacy is also about inspiration – about giving young men and women hope and ambition. And through our International Inspiration programme we have used sport to reach out to over 12 million children in 17 countries across the world.

Finally, it is about bringing people together under the Olympic values of friendship, respect and excellence. Over 3.5 million tickets have already been sold. Thousands of people have signed up to volunteer. Hundreds more have been nominated to bear the Olympic flame as it travels the highlands, lowlands and islands on its 70 day journey across the nation.

Today and for the next 12 months, we want to welcome the world to the UK to share in the Olympic and Paralympic experience and discover what makes Britain a great place to live, work, visit, invest and do business.

So, I am joining President Rogge inviting Armenian athletes and the people of Armenia to Britain in 2012,” the message said.