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Sadiq Khan pledges to explore new London Olympic bid if re-elected

Mayor will say city could look at bidding for 2036 or 2040 Games as post-Covid morale boost for nation
Sadiq Khan is pledging to look at bringing the Olympics back to London within 20 years if he is re-elected as mayor on Thursday.
In a speech at an amateur boxing club in Earlsfield, south-west London, on Tuesday, Khan will set out the prospect of another London Olympics as a post-Covid morale boost that he argues would extend beyond the capital.
The Labour mayor is due to say: “Exploring a bid for the 2036 or 2040 Olympic and Paralympic Games is the ultimate demonstration of my plan to build a brighter future for London after the pandemic.”
The move, which has been backed by a leading business group and former Olympic medallists, aims to rekindle memories of the successful 2012 Games, an event that significantly boosted the profile of Khan’s predecessor Boris Johnson.
Khan will use the prime minister’s rhetoric about economic “levelling up” to justify the move. “By ensuring the Games are staged across the UK and visitors encouraged and supported to explore every corner of our country, London 2036 or 2040 could be a huge boost to levelling up our cities and regions,” he is due to say.
Khan will add: “The spirit of 2012 showed London and Londoners at their best. It was a time that displayed the inclusive, diverse and welcoming heart of our city. As we emerge from Covid-19, we need to harbour this spirit and remind people what makes London the greatest city in the world. Bringing the Olympics back to London would do exactly that.”
Any London Olympic bid would be likely to face stiff competition from other cities and would require full government backing to stand any chance of success. If London was chosen it would become the first city to host the summer Games on four occasions, having hosted in 1908, 1948 as well as 2012.
Khan’s office said sustainability would be a key feature of any bid, offering to recycle existing sporting facilities including the 2012 venues.
Last February, before the pandemic struck the UK, Shaun Bailey, the Conservative candidate for mayor, suggested London could step in to host the 2020 Games if coronavirus forced a cancellation in Japan. Instead the Tokyo Olympics were postponed to this summer, though there are continuing doubts about whether spectators will be allowed to attend.
John Dickie, the interim chief executive of the business group London First, said: “The 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games were a fantastic moment for London and a huge boost to the city’s global reputation. As the infrastructure to host these incredible events remains in place, bringing them back to the capital in 2036 or 2040 would be brilliant for London and its businesses.”
Richard Whitehead, who won gold in the T42 200m at the 2012 and 2016 Paralympics, said the whole country needed a boost. “Bringing the Olympic and Paralympic Games back to London would do just that, making the opportunity to compete at the top level in front of a home crowd a dream within reach for young Brits.”
Amir Khan, who won a boxing medal aged 17 at the 2004 Athens Games, said: “The Olympics helped to launch my career as a professional boxer, giving a working-class kid from Bolton the opportunities to compete in front of global audiences and fulfil his potential.” He said he would “love to see another young British talent follow in my footsteps and go one better by winning gold on home turf”.
source: Matthew Weaver
Levant
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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