2012 lawyer regrets gag on contractors

One of the lawyers advising the London Olympics has admitted that the gagging order preventing thousands of Games contractors from publicising their London 2012 work was too restrictive.

Tim Jones, of London 2012 lawyers Freshfields, conceded the matter as he came under pressure from UK firms on a trade mission to Doha where they are trying use their Olympic work to win contracts for the 2022 World Cup.Some 30 delegates are in the Qatari capital with the London Chamber of Commerce seeking a slice of the $60 billion contracts for infrastructure and football stadia.

Grilled by Chamber of Commerce boss Colin Stanbridge about the gagging order, Mr Jones, partner in Freshfields, Bruckhaus Deringer, said: “For people who were genuinely involved I think we could now in retrospect look at the instructions. But its very difficult because the sponsors are putting money and time into it.” Rules on associating with the Olympic Games are drawn up in consultation with the International Olympic Committee. In January the Government paid £2 million to free British firm from the gagging order — but Mr Jones’s comments are the first time it has been suggested by a London 2012 figure that the system needs reviewing.

Those on the trip include Olympic Park masters planners AECOM, and CH2MHill, the main Olympic management consultants.