London 2012 today announced that Cherie Blair is to become an official ambassador for London’s bid to bring the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games to Britain.

Commenting on the appointment, Sebastian Coe, London Bid Leader, said:

‘Cherie Blair has a great passion for sport and for the Olympics and wants to see more people, particularly women, become involved in sport. I am delighted that she has accepted our invitation to become an ambassador for the bid.

‘She has returned to Athens to listen and learn more about the Olympic movement and how the Games are run. Her return to the city is a sign of her commitment to Olympic sport and Britain’s campaign to host the Games in 2012. I believe she will be a huge asset to the bid.

‘We are all here because we want to harness the experience of the 2004 Olympic Games to help ensure that we develop a winning bid and put in place a lasting sporting legacy for the whole country.’

Commenting on today’s announcement, Cherie Blair, said:

‘I am delighted to be invited to join the team of ambassadors by the London 2012 bid team.

‘I have always been a great supporter of the plan to bring the Olympic Games to London in 2012 and look forward to helping that aim become a reality.’

Mrs Blair joins a cavalcade of Olympic and Paralympic sportsmen and women and many others who have agreed to be ambassadors in support of the London 2012 bid. The Ambassadors’ Programme involves supporting the bid in a variety of ways ranging from providing messages of support and attending sporting and other events through to visits to schools, youth organisations and community groups to inform them of the bid’s proposals for 2012. Other ambassadors include Sir Steve Redgrave, Jonathan Edwards, Daley Thompson, Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Martin Sorrell, Kelly Holmes, Pippa Funnell, Paula Radcliffe, and Paralympians Tanni Grey-Thompson and Ade Adepitan.

For more information, please contact London 2012 Press Office on +30 210 6199 248 or Mike Lee in Athens on +44 (0)7775 677 408.