I’m Ready To Play Any Role — Azumah

Former world boxing champion and Ghanaian international icon, 'Professor' Azumah Nelson yesterday pledged to support London in whatever way he could if it would enhance the city's chances of winning the 2012 Olympic bid.

'Professor' said historically and culturally, Ghana and the United Kingdom were so linked that it was just right to support a good cause from London.

Joining the London 2012 bid team to interact with children at the Tema SOS Village, the former world champion said as an amateur and professional boxer, he fought a couple of times in the United Kingdom and could vouch for the hospitality of her people, the high level of infrastructural development as well as the Britons' passionate love for sports.

'Professor' Nelson who cited the similarities between his achievements and that of the bid commitee's team member, former Olympic champion Daley Thompson, said it was by design that in their twilights they had been united.

“We have so much in common. We were both born in 1958. I became a world champion in the same year you became an Olympic champion and we continue to promote unity through sports,” he told Thompson.

While interacting with the children at the village, the two stars engaged the children in sprint events, shadow boxing as well as a football match.

On the bid committee's mission to Accra, Lord Sebatian Coe, the Chairman of the Committee said London was ready for the 2012 Games and would be prepared to share its creativity, cultural diversity which is the tenets of the Olympic movement with the world.

Lord Coe who described the IOC evaluation team's report as a boost for their efforts, emphasised that his city's bid is putting in place infrastructure that would create a legacy for sports development and promotion at the international level and entice more young people into sports the world over.

“London is a vibrant city and the desired destination of the youth and we are encouraged by this to promote events such as sports to engage them,” he said.

He also stressed the recognition his team and country had for the contribution Africa has made towards modern day sports and was ready to help the continent in whatever way to further harness its sporting potential.