Northern Olympic Bid Gains Momentum with Sporting Icons' Backing
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has declared that any future Olympic bid should not be awarded to London again, as plans for a Northern bid gather significant support. This initiative emerges following London mayor Sadiq Khan's expressed desire to see the Games return to the capital, sparking a regional debate over the distribution of major sporting events across the United Kingdom.
Star Athletes Rally Behind the Northern Campaign
Golden girl Keely Hodgkinson, the 23-year-old 800m gold medalist from Paris 2024, has thrown her weight behind the proposal. Training in Manchester and hailing from nearby Atherton, Hodgkinson emphasized the city's vibrant sports culture. "Manchester is a great, ever-growing city that appreciates and loves watching sport," she stated. "It's the home to many elite athletes, from football to cycling, swimming, athletics and beyond. The thought of an Olympics in the city makes me nothing but excited." Hodgkinson, who followed her Olympic silver in Tokyo 2021 with gold in Paris, humorously noted she might aim for a medal in 2036 at age 34 if the bid succeeds.
Sir Brendan Foster, the 78-year-old founder of the Great North Run and a 10,000m bronze medalist at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, stressed that this movement is about more than just an Olympic bid. "It's about delivering a fairer distribution of major international sporting events across the country," he asserted. "The North of England should play a central role in hosting world and European level football, rugby, cricket and multi-sport events. We should clearly have a strong presence at the decision-making table. That is only fair and represents the significant interest and contribution the North has always and will always make to British sport."
Political Leaders Advocate for Regional Fairness
Andy Burnham warned that it "wouldn't be fair or right" for London to host another Games, having held three, most recently in 2012. He added that a northern bid is "what Britain needs right now." Under the banner of The Great North partnership, all 11 regional leaders have written to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, arguing that a bid rooted in the north would ensure a "fairer redistribution of major events across the country."
London 2012 gold medalist and Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire, Luke Campbell, highlighted the compelling case for the North to host the event. "Bringing the Olympics to the North isn't just about sport," he explained. "It's about giving our kids something to aim for, creating real opportunities and showing the world what this part of the country has to offer." Campbell, elected as the first mayor for Hull and East Yorkshire last year, recalled winning boxing gold at London 2012 as one of his proudest moments.
Infrastructure and Legacy Considerations
The partnership's statement emphasized that the North already possesses many foundations necessary for a world-class Games, including elite sporting venues, major stadia and arenas, established transport hubs, accommodation capacity, and world-class broadcast and creative capabilities. They believe a Northern Games would accelerate regeneration, rebalance the economy, and reset international perceptions of England, acting as a catalyst for long-term investment in transport, skills, housing, grassroots sport, and cultural infrastructure.
However, concerns linger about the legacy of past events. An investigation by the Mirror three years ago revealed the closure of nearly 1,000 local council football pitches and sports fields in the decade after the 2012 Olympics, alongside 600 youth centres closing, 3,500 youth workers losing jobs, and 140,000 youth service places being cut between 2012 and 2016. In contrast, Yorkshire successfully hosted The Tour de France in 2014, with the women's event set to return in 2027, showcasing regional capability.
Government and Organizational Responses
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) stated that any future bid would be decided by the British Olympic Association rather than the government, emphasizing their commitment to maintaining the UK's world-leading reputation for hosting sporting events. They added, "We will continue to work closely with our expert arm's-length body UK Sport to identify opportunities that will strengthen the UK's major events pipeline." The British Olympic Association was approached for comment but has not yet issued a formal response.
Regional mayors, including North East Mayor Kim McGuinness and West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin, have pledged support, promising a "box office, world-leading Olympic Games" and highlighting the potential for investment, jobs, and national renewal. As discussions continue, the push for a Northern Olympic bid underscores a broader call for equity and opportunity in British sports hosting.
