London Olympic body offers enticement

London 2012 today unveiled a multi-million pound incentive package for athletes and national Olympic bodies should the city win the right to host the 2012 Games.

All 10,000 athletes plus team officials will be given free return flights to London, $100 (€77) of free phonecalls from the Olympic Village, free UK train travel and athletes’ families given an opportunity to stay with British host families free of charge.

Each of the 200 national Olympic committees will also be offered $50,000 (€38,500) towards the cost of using a UK training camp.

The incentives are contained in charters published by London 2012 today making specific promises to athletes and Olympic bodies.

London 2012 bid chairman Sebastian Coe said: “London 2012 recognises that athletes are at the heart of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and we will ensure that everything possible is done to provide the best conditions for athletes to excel.

“The commitments contained in the charters will eliminate the traditional costs involved in sending and caring for athletes at the Olympic Games. We are eliminating the financial burden so that athletes and teams can concentrate on performance and develop their sports.”