London Latest -- Mascot Launch; BOA Likes Olympic Appointment

London Mascot Ready for Debut

The mascots for the London Olympics and Paralympics will be revealed to the world Wednesday.

The characters will appear on the BBC TV program The One Show at 7pm London time.

The mascots will also be unveiled simultaneously on the London 2012 website.

Government Appointments Delight Moynihan

British Olympic Association chairman Colin Moynihan says he welcomes the appointments of Jeremy Hunt and Hugh Robertson in the U.K.'s new Conservative-Liberal Democrats coalition government.

"On behalf of the BOA, I would like to congratulate the new government’s sport and Olympics team," Moynihan said in a statement.

"We are delighted that the Olympics brief has been moved to sit within the remit of Jeremy Hunt as Secretary of State; it makes great sense to have sport sit alongside the greatest sporting event our nation will ever host, the Olympic Games in 2012.

"Both Jeremy and Hugh Robertson, the new sports minister, have covered the brief for many years in opposition and their understanding and knowledge of the sporting world is such that we very much look forward to working with them in the best interests of sport and the Olympic Movement going forward."

Hunt was appointed last week as secretary of state in the re-named Department of Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport.

Robertson, who has served as shadow Olympics minister for the past four years, was named as sports minister in the new-look British administration.

Coe Aims to Revive England World Cup Bid

LOCOG chairman Sebastian Coe is set to draw on his experience in masterminding London's successful Olympic bid to revive the England 2018 World Cup campaign following the sudden departure of its chairman David Triesman.

Triesman was forced to quit on Sunday after the Mail on Sunday, a British tabloid newspaper, covertly recorded him telling a "friend" Spain could end its bid if rival bidder Russia helped "bribe" referees at this summer's World Cup.

FIFA is now said to be investigating Triesman’s remarks.

Coe, a 2018 board member, is expected to play a more prominent role in the England 2018 campaign in the coming months. He said he does not believe the bid is fatally compromised.

"It has been traumatic but it does not become a bad bid overnight," Coe told the BBC.

"Solid foundations are in place: we have the best venues, the most passionate fans, thebest market for sponsors and an unparalleled ability to deliver this tournament in safe and secure surroundings."

"The only thing we don't have is the private views of the former chairman," added Coe, a fan of London club Chelsea FC who won the FA Cup final on Saturday.

LOCOG deputy chairman Keith Mills, another key figure in London's winning Olympic bid, could also be called on to help England 2018 even though he officially stepped down from the bid board when it was restructured last autumn.

Triesman's resignation came less than 48 hours after he accompanied an England 2018 delegation, including David Beckham, to Zurich for the hand over of the World Cup bid book to FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

On Sunday, Triesman was replaced as bid chairman by Geoff Thompson, a FIFA and UEFA vice president who also chaired the FA for nine years.

England 2018 hope Thompson's swift appointment will retain Blatter's confidence in the bid committee and provide assurances to members of the FIFA executive committee that it is not fatally flawed.

Thompson will have the chance to help get the England 2018 bid campaign back on course when he meets with other FIFA and UEFA executive committee members at the Champions League final between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich in Madrid this Saturday.

England faces competition from Russia and joint bids from Holland-Belgium and Spain-Portugal in the race for the 2018 World Cup, which is widely expected to be awarded to Europe.

Australia, Japan, Qatar, South Korea and the USA are fighting it out for the 2022 tournament. The 24-man FIFA executive will decide on the hosts for both World Cups on Dec. 2.

London Stadium Bids Deadline

Olympic Park Legacy Company will now review bids from firms to be post-Games tenants of the London Olympic Stadium.

Monday was the deadline to submit bids with the company saying bids received indicated a "global interest across a range of sectors including sports, construction, education, marketing and investment" in securing the venue.

A decision is expected in March 2011, with no information given on who or how many bids were submitted. OPLC will review the submitted bids over the next month.

Premier League club West Ham, as well as AEG and 02 are believed to have submitted bids.

Written by Mark Bisson.