Fears for London Olympic bid

The chairman of London's bid to host the 2012 Olympics is to be hauled before MPs over fears she is losing ground to Paris.

Barbara Cassani will be questioned by the allparty culture, media and sport committee.

MPs feel US-born Ms Cassani is still only putting a team together to promote the capital.

Committee chairman Gerald Kaufman is a critic of the Governmentbacked bid and is likely to give her a rough ride.

Ms Cassani, the former chief executive of nofrills airline Go, was appointed to the £200,000-a-year post in June.

At the time, sports minister-Richard Caborn said the controversial decision to appoint a US citizen, was "not an issue". The England football team is also led by a foreigner, he added.

New York, Madrid and Istanbul are also in the running to host the 2012 games.

A decision is due to be made in the summer of