Gosper, a former vice-president of the IOC, who is visiting the capital to take part in the World Press Briefing, said: “The regeneration of an industrial wasteland at Stratford is very exciting and will be a lasting legacy for the British people.

 

"There has been nothing like it in Europe."

 

Gosper said London 2012 is set to be remembered for its iconic venues including tennis at Wimbledon, archery at Lord’s Cricket Ground and beach volleyball at the Horse Guards Parade near Buckingham Palace.

 

Paul Deighton, the chief executive of London 2012, also said that the Games are ahead of schedule and on budget.

 

He said many of the venues in the Olympic Park were permanent “for people to use for the next 50 years”.

 

Gosper also said like so many others he was surprised by the achievements of the British athletes at the 2008 Beijing Games, where Britain finished ahead of Australia in the final medals table with 47 medals, including 19 gold.

 

Gosper claimed that this was due to the generous funding of the British Government, which he expected to lead to even better results at London 2012.

 

He said: “Britain over time had introduced the majority of sports on the Olympic programme.

 

"It's not only a city which bailed the IOC out in 1908 and particularly in 1948 so soon after World War Two, but it's a country and a city which has brought sport into the Olympic movement."