In an interview published in The Scotsman today, Coe refuted the argument that Scotland has lost out on National Lottery cash and insisted it would benefit hugely from the London Games.

 

Earlier, Scotland's Sports Minister Stewart Maxwell had claimed it was wrong that £184 million of Scotland's Lottery money was going to the 2012 Games in London..

Coe told The Scotsman: "The argument over the money is a matter for the two Governments to resolve.

 

"But I don't think we would have this argument if it was a hospital or an art gallery.

 

"For some reason, people see sports as an added-on extra.

"I would point out that if you look at the geography of Britain, we have a large population and in a small land mass.

 

"That means that having the Olympic Games here is going to have an impact on everybody."

His meetings with Maxwell and Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond were about trying to dovetail London 2012 and Glasgow 2014.

 

Coe said: "It's wonderful that we have two of the three biggest sporting events in the world within two years in Britain.

"The idea is that we try to share as much knowledge and information as we can to organise these two games.

 

"We both want to create a great legacy of regeneration, greater sports participation and volunteers who will help out with the two games.

"There are ways we can save money by sharing ideas and expertise.

 

"This is also about inspiring people.

 

"When Liz McColgan won Olympic medals, young girls in Leamington Spa in England did not think 'I don't care because she is Scottish' – instead they were inspired to become athletes.

 

"Likewise, I'm sure that Kelly Holmes, when she won her two Olympic golds, was an inspiration to young girls in Glasgow, Edinburgh and around Scotland."

Coe also claimed that foreign teams would base themselves in Scotland during the build-up to the 2012 Olympics and that there would be other business opportunities.

 

He said: "Scotland has world-class training camps at places like Strathclyde University which will be used.

"You have to remember 80 per cent of the bids for training camps in Scotland were accepted and they were seen as amongst the best.

"Already, a business in Fife – Mason Land Survey – has surveyed the whole land of the Olympic Park in London and produced the GIS (geographical information survey] map for the work which will be needed to be done there. And there will be many more business opportunities for Scottish companies."

 

Coe said he hoped London 2012 and Glasgow 2014 would help increase sports participation.

He said: "A lot of people seem to think that general participation and elite sports are not linked, but they are.

 

""Part of the legacy of both 2012 and 2014 is that there needs to be the infrastructure and pathways in place for people to take up sport."

"I was pleased to talk to the health and sports committee about that and see that they are taking the issue so seriously."

The full article can be read at http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/politics/Coe-asks-Scots-critics-to.4038325.jp.