'Embarrassment' Drut won't travel to Singapore

Paris are privately relieved that a potential source of major embarrassment to their bid for the 2012 Olympics has been removed after the decision of French IOC member Guy Drut not to travel to Singapore.

The former French sports minister is still involved in a court case on a corruption charge and though he insists he is innocent of the charge has said he does not want to expose Paris’ bid or the IOC to embarrassment.

Drut was also a leading member of the Paris bid but his decision to withdraw from any Olympic involvement effectively ends the possibility of any hostile questioning in Singapore.

A source close to the Paris bid said: “This situation is disappointing for Paris in the short-term but in the long term it’s very good. There is no reason now for him to be the source of attacks from hostile media or other bid cities.”

Meanwhile, London 2012 bid leaders Sebastian Coe and Keith Mills flew out to Singapore on separate planes last night – in case one of them crashes.

London 2012 have put a lot of store by the level of detail of their planning, so much so that should the unthinkable happen to one of the two men at the head of the campaign, the bid will still go on.