Emir backs New York’s 2012 Olympic bid

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LONDON (Reuters) - New York City notched another high-profile supporter for its bid to stage the 2012 Olympic Games when Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani endorsed their plans.

As the race to sign up supporters grows ever more frantic, New York organizers said the Emir’s support — expressed during a visit to city mayor Michael Bloomberg earlier this week — “reflects His Highness’ personal love of sport and his strong belief that New York will best promote worldwide sport and friendship.”

Qatar has one member on the International Olympic Committee which will vote for the 2012 host city on July 6 in Singapore.

New York is up against London, Madrid, Moscow and Paris in the race to stage the sports extravaganza.

Last month London pulled off a coup when former South African President and 1993 Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela came out in support.

“There is no city like London,” he said. “It is a wonderfully diverse and open city providing a home to hundreds of different nationalities from all over the world.

“I can’t think of a better place than London to hold an event that unites the world.”

SUPPORT LINE-UP

London also boasts a wealth of sporting greats in their support line-up including Australia’s Cathy Freeman and Grant Hackett.

Hacket’s swimming rival Ian Thorpe, however, has come out in support of New York.

Paris’s string of supporters is equally glittering, ranging from former New Zealand rugby international Jonah Lomu to English Premier League soccer players Robert Pires, Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira of Arsenal and Chelsea’s Claude Makelele, William Gallas and Didier Drogba. The French capital also has Japanese international designer Issey Miyake and Senegalese singer Youssou N’Dour in its camp.

Madrid boasts the support of a host of Spanish sportsmen as well as Mozambique Olympic champion Maria Mutola and Swedish Olympic high jump champion Stefan Holm while Florida-based, Siberian-born Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova is an international ambassador for Moscow.