POSTED: September 10th 2010
NewsUpdate
Boris Johnson says the only handover on his mind is Olympic flag
KEIR RADNEDGE / Sports Features Communications
LONDON, Sep 10: Boris Johnson hopes to be waving the flag for London at the Olympics in 2012 - just as he did at the Closing Ceremony of the Games in Beijing two years ago.
Johnson, former Conservative MP, has confirmed that he will stand for a second term as Mayor of London in elections to be held two months before the 2012 Games in the city. He was newly-elected in 2008 when he accepted the Olympic flag on behalf of London in Beijing and he hopes to have the opportunity to hand it on to the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, the 2016 host.
Johnson has been a high-profile pro-active supporter of the 2012 London Games - to the extent of hopping on a bicycle recently to ride several circuits of a test track in the Velodrome.
Confirming his wish to continue in office, Johnson claimed his administration had "a good record so far" but had "more to do" improving the capital and overseeing the Olympics.
His announcement quashed speculation that he might seek to return to Parliament in protest at the likely effect on London of soon-to-be-announced Government spending cuts. Projects thought to be under review include the £16bn Crossrail project upgrades to the London Underground tube lines. Both are considered important infrastructural pillars for London's hosting of the Games.
The Labour Party's candidate will be Johnson's predecessor Ken Livingstone or former MP Oona King.
Keywords · Boris Johnson · London 2012 · Livingstone
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