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Security[]

From September 2008[]

Official says 2012 security increase necessary[]

The chairman of the British Olympic Association said any increase in the security budget for the 2012 London Games is a “price you absolutely have to pay” to make the Olympics secure.

British media reports say the security budget most likely will grow to $2.74 billion, three times the original estimate.

“Whatever it takes must be spent,” Lord Colin Moynihan said. “That is critical.”

Moynihan, who met Monday with Australian Olympic Committee chief John Coates, said the security budget has not been completed and will be discussed this week when he returns home.

“If the security budget is greater than originally conceived, which it is, that is a price you absolutely have to pay to make sure the games are a success and the athletes are secure, and everybody who comes to the country as our guest … is fully secure.”

He said whatever extra money is spent on security will not jeopardize other Olympic operations.

“That can’t be traded off against other aspects of the games,” he said.

Moynihan said the global financial crisis was affecting some sponsorship arrangements.

“It makes it tougher, no question,” he said. “I believe we will achieve our targets. Some are under greater strain than they were a matter of months ago so we need to respond to that. Ultimately we’ve given commitments to the IOC and we need to see those commitments through.”

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