London, June 15: Cherie Blair will play a key role in London's bid for the 2012 Olympics, Sports Minister Richard Caborn revealed today. The prime minister's wife, a keen athletics fan, will work as part of the support team, Caborn said.

Cherie made her interest known to the selection panel, made up of representatives from the British Olympic Association, the Lord Mayor's office and the department of media, culture and sport.

Asked how she would be involved, Caborn said: "Not in terms of the chair but Cherie's made it absolutely clear she wants to support it."

London will be competing against Havana, Madrid, Moscow, Istanbul, Leipzig (Germany), New York and Paris.

Britain last bid for the Olympics in 1993 when Manchester made a feeble run against Sydney for the 2000 Games.

The deadline for submissions for the 2012 Games is July 15 when bidding cities have to pay the International Olympic Committee (IOC) 150,000 dollars.

Bureau Report