| SPOTLIGHT |
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets has threatened to bring an action for judicial review over the decision to change the route for the marathon at the 2012 Olympics.
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) notified the council of the change of plan in August, stating that the event would no longer start at Tower Bridge and run through Tower Hamlets.
The local authority said the decision was taken without consultation. After taking advice from a QC, the council has sent a pre-action letter to LOCOG, arguing that the decision to take the marathon out of the East End was unlawful.
Tower Hamlets' Mayor, Lutfur Rahman, said the council had not taken the decision to seek a judicial review lightly, but felt that there was no alternative option open to it.
“We believe that LOCOG has acted unlawfully in re-routing the Olympic marathon and failed to adhere to the spirit of the original bid which sought to showcase East London, including the East End,” Rahman said.
“We are the only one of the five host boroughs that will not hold an Olympic event. We're concerned that Tower Hamlets will be little more than a glorified thoroughfare between the City of London and the Olympic Park.”
The mayor called on LOCOG to “do the right thing” and bring the marathon back to the East End.
Rahman said the council remained wholly committed to supporting the Olympics when they come to London. “We want them to be the best Games they can possibly be – and we believe in order to achieve this LOCOG must deliver the Games in the way they originally promised,” he argued.
Tower Hamlets claimed its involvement in the Olympics had been steadily reduced since the original winning bid, with the basketball moved out of the area for cost reasons and the walking race routes no longer set to take place in Victoria Park.
