Vote for 2012 Games too close to call

SINGAPORE – The hottest bidding war in Olympic history looked set to go to the wire as International Olympic Committee (IOC) members are expected to cast their votes for the five candidate cities today.

Members, observers and delegations from London, Madrid, Moscow, New York and Paris were shaking their heads and declaring the vote “too close to call” as they gathered for the IOC session which will determine the host city for the 2012 Summer Games. IOC president Jacques Rogge gave away no clues at a news conference.Paris came to the city-state of Singapore confident in their role as clear favourites but they seemed surprisingly nervous as their odds with British bookmakers slipped from 1-6 to 1-4.London, Madrid and New York all seemed to be gathering greater momentum and only Moscow appeared to be without a realistic hope of winning.London was at 11-4 with William Hill bookmakers (down from 7-2), Madrid 14-1 (from 20-1), New York 33-1 with Moscow trailing at 50-1.The conversations and gossip in the corridors of the Olympic delegates’ hotels suggested the race was almost certainly much closer than suggested by the odds.London, meanwhile, featured Prime Minister Tony Blair who is in town for two days to meet and greet and shake as many hands as if he were involved in a British general election.- Nampa-ReutersIOC president Jacques Rogge gave away no clues at a news conference.Paris came to the city-state of Singapore confident in their role as clear favourites but they seemed surprisingly nervous as their odds with British bookmakers slipped from 1-6 to 1-4.London, Madrid and New York all seemed to be gathering greater momentum and only Moscow appeared to be without a realistic hope of winning.London was at 11-4 with William Hill bookmakers (down from 7-2), Madrid 14-1 (from 20-1), New York 33-1 with Moscow trailing at 50-1.The conversations and gossip in the corridors of the Olympic delegates’ hotels suggested the race was almost certainly much closer than suggested by the odds.London, meanwhile, featured Prime Minister Tony Blair who is in town for two days to meet and greet and shake as many hands as if he were involved in a British general election.- Nampa-Reuters