LONDON - The celebrations scheduled to mark the
homecoming of London's successful Olympic bid team have been
canceled following Thursday morning's terrorist blasts in the
capital.
The London 2012 bid team was due to have a fanfare farewell in
Singapore before flying back into Heathrow early on Friday when
it was expected to hold a news conference at the airport.
Dignitaries then were due to tour the proposed Olympic venues by
helicopter but secretary of state for culture, media and sport
Tessa Jowell confirmed the celebrations have been postponed.
"The plans that were been laid out for the farewell and arrival
celebrations have been cancelled," she said. "It would be
completely inappropriate in view of this appalling tragedy."
Arsenal also has canceled the 'topping out' ceremony at its new
Emirates Stadium, scheduled for Thursday afternoon, while
Chelsea has postponed its kit launch and press conference to
unveil new signing Asier del Horno at Stamford Bridge.
Also, the International Olympic Committee, which just 24 hours
earlier awarded the Games to London, released a statement about
the tragedy.
"The International Olympic Committee would like to send a
message of support to London, following the tragic events of the
past hours," the statement said. "IOC President Jacques Rogge
has personally expressed his sympathy in writing to the British
Prime Minister Tony Blair and to the Mayor of London, Ken
Livingstone.
"It is a very sad fact of society today that tragic and shocking
attacks of this nature can happen in any city at any time. The
IOC's thoughts are with all those who are personally affected."