The 2012 Olympics in London is unlikely to meet the International Olympic Committee’s aims of being a lever for engaging with children, inspiring young athletes and fostering social cohesion, according to most research carried out to date.

A precedent in the long-running dispute over whether hosts Great Britain will field a football team at the 2012 Olympic Games in London could be set at next year’s Paralympic Games in China.

The European Tour Operators Association is not looking forward to London hosting the Olympics in 2012. The association has just released a report which shows that Olympic host cities suffer a drop in tourism growth in the years surrounding the event.