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PARIS (Reuters) - French politicians, media and sports officials cried foul on Thursday over London's snatching of the 2012 Olympic Games from Paris, suggesting underhand tactics may have played a part. Many congratulated London on its surprise victory. Others said they were convinced Paris's bid was better. Some said London had gone beyond the bounds of fair play. "An injustice has been done to us by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) members. It's an affront to France," said Francis Luyce, head of France's swimming federation. Paris bid chief Bertrand Delanoe, the city's mayor, questioned the tactics that helped London win...

LONDON has been awarded the 2012 Olympic Games after the most bitterly fought bid battle in Olympic history. The London team beat out long-time favourites Paris as well as Madrid, Moscow and New York to win the race to stage the lucrative sports extravaganza. International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge announced the winner at a globally televised ceremony after a day of presentations and deliberations at the IOC session in Singapore's Raffles City complex. The news was greeted by screams of joy from the London team. The 2008 Olympics will be held in Beijing. Earlier in Singapore, the cities gave...

Per BBC(Not posted yet... ) London wins 2012 Olympics bid!!!

Per Fox News

London, Paris, Madrid, New York and Moscow will finally learn on Wednesday who has prevailed in the battle to host the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.The cities' fate lies in the hands of the International Olympic Committee members (IOC), who may take less than an hour to reach a verdict. IOC president Jacques Rogge is expected to announce the winner at 1246 BST.BBC Sport explains the voting process and looks for clues on how it could go in Singapore. Who decides? Voters profiled Going for gold: Interactive voting guide   CHOOSING THE WINNER RIVAL IOC MEMBERS GB: Princess Royal, Craig Reedie,...

SINGAPORE -- A day before the crucial vote, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton joined the New York delegation on Tuesday for a homestretch round of lobbying aimed at convincing the International Olympic Committee to award the city the 2012 Summer Games. The former first lady was put to work immediately. Before she could even have her first bite of breakfast after a long flight she was taken to meet an IOC member. "New York City exemplifies Olympic values every single day," she said. "Living in New York is like living in an Olympic Village -- you have every language from every...

City's bid leaders praise her decision to join the delegation for Wednesday's vote by the International Olympic Committee. NEW YORK - Other cities are bringing presidents, prime ministers and royalty to Singapore in hopes of landing the 2012 Olympics. New York is bringing Hillary Rodham Clinton. The city's bid leaders praised the decision by the New York senator and former first lady to join the delegation for Wednesday's vote by the International Olympic Committee. "I think there is no question that everyone here will know who she is," said Dan Doctoroff, the bid chief and deputy mayor. "All over the...

New York has a Plan B Olympic Stadium. And, now, it has Plan B star power. Sen. Hillary Clinton will travel to Singapore to help lobby the International Olympic Committee to award the 2012 Games to New York, marking a last-minute addition to the city's delegation, Mayor Bloomberg announced yesterday. Clinton, New York's Democratic junior senator, will be the highest-level U.S. official to attend Wednesday's IOC meeting, adding some wattage to a delegation sorely lacking in political luminaries. Still, her 11th-hour addition to the roster raises questions about the level of desperation among New York officials. As the Daily News...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to Singapore next week as part of a U.S. delegation hoping an international upset will award the 2012 Olympics to New York. The International Olympic Committee may have soured on the Big Apple since the state rejected a proposed showpiece stadium in Manhattan. But New York is hoping another proposal for a stadium in Queens will still entice IOC members.Clinton, D-N.Y., will attend as part of a delegation that includes Muhammad Ali and dozens of other athletes."It is an honor to accept Mayor Bloomberg's invitation," she said in a statement. As...

PARIS, March 9 (AFP) - The strong case mustered by Paris for the right to hold the 2012 Olympic Games could receive a serious blow Thursday when unions stage a day of strikes and demonstrations against the government just as IOC inspectors are touring the capital. Widely regarded as the favourite in the race for the games, Paris will have its weak spot dangerously exposed as much of the city grinds to a halt because of transport stoppages, walk-outs in government offices, schools and public utilities, and a mass protest march in the afternoon. The 13 members of the International...

Mugs' games By Simon Jenkins London yesterday said goodbye to its most recent Olympic Games contest. The arrival last week of a dozen members of the International Olympics Committee was treated by the British Government as might a desperate Hollywood starlet auditioning for a movie mogul. The metropolis was told to lie on its back and think of England. The prime minister and his cabinet dropped everything to dance attendance on their guests for four days. Flags decked every route. The Queen laid on a banquet. The Thames was ablaze with lights. Everywhere the visitors went, police outriders eased their...

LAUSANNE, Switzerland - New York and four European capitals — London, Madrid, Moscow and Paris — were selected as finalists Tuesday in the race to host the 2012 Olympics. Four cities failed to make the cut: Havana; Istanbul, Turkey; Leipzig, Germany, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The field was trimmed by the International Olympic Committee (news - web sites) executive board based on a report assessing the technical capabilities of the nine cities. The unanimous decision, announced by IOC president Jacques Rogge, kicks off a 14-month race culminating with the selection of the host city by the full IOC assembly...

Dear International Olympics Committee: Hi! How ya doing? Good, I hope. I know you have a meeting coming up next month when you can toss out some of the nine cities you're considering for the 2012 summer Olympics. So I just thought, as a New York City resident, I'd add my two cents worth: TOSS US! Thanks but no thanks! Hasta la vista! We need the Olympics like we need an extra arrow next to our name on Al Qaeda's "to do" list. I mean, man, the Olympics. They're a terrorism magnet. Just look at what Athens is doing to...

The nine cities hoping to stage the Olympic Games in 2012 have unveiled details of their bids. Paris, the favourite, was first to launch its candidacy, with a glitzy ceremony at the Eiffel Tower on Friday. The city lost out to Beijing for the 2008 Games and also missed out in 1992, but it is confident it can win now. London and Moscow have also revealed their bids; Madrid, New York, Istanbul, Leipzig, Rio de Janeiro and Havana are expected to launch theirs later. Paris, which staged football's World Cup in 1998, will centre its bid around the 80,000 capacity...

<p>Cuba will bid for the 2012 Olympics, a decision that will place Havana as the long-shot candidate in a strong field that already features New York and Madrid, Spain.</p> <p>The Cuban Olympic Committee will hold a news conference Monday to discuss the bid, the group said Tuesday.</p>