Sadiq Khan sets sights on 2040 Olympic bid - but will the government back another games?

Sadiq Khan is to ask Britain’s new prime minister for government backing to launch a bid for London to host the 2040 Olympics.

The London mayor plans to use his trip to France for Friday's opening ceremony of the Paris games to lobby members of the British Olympic Association.

Khan believes a proposal to reuse venues from the 2012 Olympics would allow London to stage the ‘greenest games ever’.

The mayor first floated the idea of a fresh Olympic bid during his campaign for re-election in 2021 but claims the government was not interested.

An Olympic bid would need to be underwritten by the government and backed by the BOA.

Mr Khan said: “I’m looking forward to meeting the team at the British Olympic Association when I go to Paris and also speaking to the new government about my ambition to bring the Olympics back to London in 2040.”

He added: “I do want to lobby Keir Starmer in relation to the Olympics, I do want to explain to the BOA why it’s important for London to be at the forefront of these sorts of bids.

“I’m hoping those conversations lead to both the government and the BOA supporting my ambition of the Olympics coming back to London.”

A future London games would lusw purpose-built 2012 venues including the London Stadium, the London Aquatics Centre, Lee Valley Velopark and Copper Box Arena.

Team GB Olympic flagbearer and diver Tom Daley said: "I feel like London is one of the few cities on the planet where you would be able to host the games tomorrow.

"You've got the swimming, diving and water polo. You've got the stadium to host all the athletics.

"And you've got the stadium which will be able to host the athletics and we have such amazing facilities which have been left over from London 2012.

"And we are one of the cities which has been able to keep the facilities running and to a high standard for the community.

"I think it would be very exciting to have the Olympic Games back here."

But the organisers would need new accommodation for athletes and officials after the Olympic village was converted into apartments. The scheme is now home to thousands of Londoners.

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