Robertson (pictured) was speaking following London making high-profile yet unsuccessful bids to host both the 2014 Hockey World Championships and the 2015 World Athletics Championships.

London's bid to host the hockey failed when the event was surprisingly awarded to the Netherlands earlier this month, while UK Athletics abandoned its campaign to host the athletics championships due to uncertainty over the future of the Olympic Stadium

The failed 2015 bid is particularly embarrassing as it is the third time in 10 years an attempt to bring the event to Britain has been thwarted.

It has now been to Beijing by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) here in Monte Carlo at a meeting of its ruling Council, while London is now set to bid for the 2017 event.

However, Robertson refuses to admit that losing out on the two events is a huge negative for the country, stating that Britain cannot simply be awarded every event it bids for.

"It is the nature of big international bids that from time to time, we will lose them," he said.

"I don't want us to lose them as I want us to bring as many events here as possible but actually, from time to time, we will bid for things and lose them.

"Those two events - the 2014 Hockey World Championships and the 2015 World Athletics Championships - we lost for very specific reasons.

"In terms of 2014, Holland is simply a hockey powerhouse.



"Everybody in Holland plays hockey, as it really is a very big thing for them, and therefore they were able to bring together a package of broadcasting and sponsorship that we can't match in this country.

"However, we will bid again for that and I hope it will come here.

"We must also remember that we will have fantastic, world-leading hockey facilities after London 2012 and that is a huge plus.

"In terms of the 2015 World Athletics Championships, the problem was simply that the bid conflicted with the timing for deciding the legacy of the stadium.

"Against that, there was no way we could bid without opening ourselves up for a legal challenge and that, as the minister, is not a challenge I will subject the Government to."

Robertson will hope that Britain's fortunes soon change when England bid to host the 2018 World Cup in a highly competitive race against Russia and joint bids from Spain/Portugal and Belgium/Netherlands.

The controversial saga to host the tournament, which has involved two FIFA members being suspended for allegations of corruption, will draw to a conclusion when a decision on the winner is announced in Zurich on December 2.

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