The Handbook of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games is an officially-licensed account of the world's greatest sporting and cultural event. It tells the complete story of the 2012 Games from inception, through the successful bidding process and the planning and preparation phase, to delivery, the post-Games period and legacy. Written by a world-class team of international sport scholars, researchers and writers, the book offers comprehensive analysis of the full social, cultural, political, historical, economic and sporting context of the Games. From the political, commercial and structural complexities of organising an event on such a scale, to the sporting action that holds the attention of the world, this book illuminates every aspect of the 2012 Games, helping us to better understand the vital role that sport and culture play in contemporary global society.

The book is divided into two volumes. Volume One: Making the Games, examines the build-up to London 2012, covering key topics such as:

• the bidding process
• planning and decision making
• financing the Games
• developing the infrastructure
• engaging national and international governing bodies of sport
• engaging the UK public
• engaging a global public
• developing a legacy programme
• the Cultural Olympiad.

Richly illustrated with the personal accounts of key stakeholders, from sports administrators and politicians to athletes and spectators, and including essential data and evocative visual material, this book is essential reading for anybody with a personal or professional interest in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, global culture or the development of sport.

Vassil Girginov is Reader in Sport Management/Development at Brunel University, UK. He is a founding board member of the Bulgarian Olympic Academy and has been researching, teaching and working for the Olympics for 25 years. His research interests and publications (including six books) are in the field of the Olympic movement, sport development and comparative management and policy analysis.

Acknowledgements 1. Social, political, economic and operational context of the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games: An introduction Part One: Bidding for the Games 2. From 1908 to 2012: Continuity and change in London Olympic narratives 3. Preparing and winning the London bid Part Two: Delivering the Games 4. Materializing the vision of a 2012 London Olympic Games 5. From a Roman village to an Olympic site: transforming East London 6. The Olympic Laws and the contradictions of promoting and preserving the Olympic Ideal 7. London 2012 legacy strategy: Ambitions, promises and implementation plans 8. Securing the Games 9. Preparing TeamGB for London 2012 10. Governance of the Games Part Three: Engaging the UK Public 11. Involving East London communities 12. Involving the Regions 13. Involving Schools 14. Involving the Further & Higher Education sector 15. The London 2012 Cultural Olympiad and Torch relay 16. Volunteering for the Games Part Four: Engaging Sports 17. Olympic and Paralympic Governing Bodies of Sport and the Games 18. Other sport providers and the Games Part Five: London 2012 and the World's Participation 9. Preparing for London: National elite sport policies 20. London 2012 and the Global South 21. Beijing-London-Rio de Janeiro: a never ending global competition Part Six: Conclusions 22. Making the London Olympic & Paralympic Games: the story so far