From correspondents in Beijing, India, 07:51 PM IST

At London House in Beijing today, Olympians and officials representing major sporting events discussed the impact of these events on the societies and economies of the host cities. In a lively discussion, panelists highlighted that the Olympic Games and other sporting events have a larger impact than just changing the infrastructure of the host cities.

In his keynote address, James Wolfensohn, former President of the World Bank and former Olympian noted that his participation in the 1956 Games influenced his whole approach to life thereafter. Wolfensohn highlighted that the Olympic Games have always represented a global "coming together" and that no city that has ever held the Games is the same afterwards.

Lord Sebastian Coe, Chairman of London 2012 who is preparing for the Olympic Handover on August 24, stated that time and time again, the Olympics has done more than just change cities, it has changed the framework of society. The primary goal of London 2012 is, according to Lord Coe, to use sport as a bridgehead to solve some of the issues London faces.

Wei Wei, musical Ambassador to the Beijing 2008 Games noted that the global spotlight of the Olympics has made the citizens of Beijing change behaviors. Foreigners' perceptions about China prior to the Olympics were skewed and the local population has gone to great lengths to change that, she said. Peter Foss, President of Olympic Sponsorship for General Electric concurred, underlining the public welfare work undertaken in China ahead of the Games. Major sporting events leave a legacy of commercially viable technologies that help improve the lives of ordinary people, added Foss.

Representatives of two of the biggest upcoming sporting events in Asia, the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games and the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, predicted that these events would have a similar impact on their societies. Raja Randhir Singh, Secretary General, Olympic Council of Asia, stated that the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games will be an opportunity for the world to judge India's capabilities.

Teo Ser Luck, advisor to the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee, said that the Youth Olympics have tremendous potential to instill the values of sportsmanship and athletic excellence not only during the two weeks that the Games last, but on a sustained basis after the Games.

"Some say that the Olympics are just a power trip by megalomaniacs with an 'edifice complex' who want to build big buildings," summarized Jaime A. FlorCruz, CNN's Beijing Bureau Chief and correspondent, and moderator of the event. "What this discussion showed us is that sporting events have the potential to change not only the infrastructure of a city, but also produce a transformation of host societies."

The panel discussion was followed by a VIP Luncheon Reception hosted by the Commonwealth Games 2010 Organizing Committee and attended by, amongst others, Tessa Jowell, Minister of the Olympics for London. Mr. Suresh Kalmadi, President of the Indian Olympic Committee spoke to the gathering on India's vision to provide its guests a stellar experience whilst encouraging sporting excellence within the country.

The London Development Agency has set up London House in Beijing to promote London during the Olympic Games. A series of events and seminars aimed at attracting investors, tourists and students to London have taken place since August 7 and will culminate in the Olympic Handover celebration on 24th August when London officially becomes the next Host City.

The panel discussion at London House was organized by Mirabilis Advisory (www.mirabilisadvisory.com) and The NewsMarket (www.thenewsmarket.com) as part of their work for the London Development Agency and other Olympic participants.

Source: Press Release Distribution via India PRwire