Rio Olympics 2016: London Mayor Sadiq Khan promised ‘if I have my way’ then Team GB’s Olympic heroes WILL get a homecoming parade
BRITAIN’S Olympic heroes WILL get a victory parade “if I have my way”, Sadiq Khan promised today.
The London Mayor hit back at claims he was blocking a rally in the capital to celebrate Team GB’s astonishing success at Rio 2016.
And he told the BBC he was “optimistic” talks with the Government and Olympic chiefs would see plans put in place very quickly.
But he insisted Britain’s Paralympians – who are yet to even compete in Brazil – would also have to be part of the event.
The Labour Mayor said: “I am keen for it to happen and we are speaking to the Paralympic chiefs and the Olympic chiefs as well as the Government to ensure we celebrate the fantastic achievements.”
It comes after The Sun demanded a homecoming parade fit for heroes and called for City Hall killjoys to make it happen.
Pressed on whether it would now go ahead, Mr Khan said: "The short answer is, if I have my way, then yes."
He told the Today programme on Radio 4 it was about coming up with the best way to celebrate Team GB's achievements.
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The pledge comes 48 hours after former rowing champion Sir Matthew Pinsent said he had been told by two sources that there would be no official victory parade.
Sources claimed the Mayor’s office had been in talks with the Department for Culture Media and Sport since the start of the week.
Number 10 is also understood to be looking at the proposals.
Former Sports Minister Richard Caborn said the public would be furious if they were denied the opportunity to celebrate Team GB’s “fantastic achievements”.
But he said officials should think about moving the event outside of London. “Why shouldn’t it be in Sheffield, or in Leeds, where people have been supporting the Brownlee brothers for years?”
Similar events were held after the Games in 2004 and 2008, while up to a million people hit the streets in 2012 following the London Olympics as athletes were treated to flybys from RAF jets, helicopters and the Red Arrows.