Olympics chief 'to avoid Dome fiasco'

Mrs Cassani says the whole of London will benefit

The head of London's bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games has promised to keep the government at arms-length, to avoid a Dome-style fiasco.

Barbara Cassani also said she will make sure that if the bid is successful that the legacy of the Games will benefit everyone, especially those in east London where the event will be based.

Addressing fears the bid could turn into a disaster like the Millennium Dome, the American businesswoman said she will try to keep government influence to a minimum.

She told BBC London: "We have set up a completely independent company.

"Everyone of the stakeholders, the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS), London mayor Ken Livingstone and the British Olympic Association (BOA), have said they understand that if the bid is to be successful then it must have its own purpose, its own way of doing things."

Many residents in the Lea Valley area, where the main stadium for the Games will be built, have claimed that they will be exploited and then forgotten about.

Serpentine swimming

One of the ideas I find most fun to contemplate ids the triathlon event ion the Hyde Park, with them swimming in the Serpentine

Barbara Cassani

Barbara Cassani: Bidding for London

Mrs Cassani said: "The lower Lea Valley area has been earmarked for improvements and regeneration.

"What our job will be to do over the next two years, is to work with them to create facilities that will add to the community."

She also said that existing facilities such as Wimbledon and the Dome could be used, although no final decision has been made.

But she added: "One of the ideas I find most fun to contemplate is the triathlon event in Hyde Park, with them swimming in the Serpentine."

Her comments came, as at least 80 MPs from all parties backed the bid and have joined the All Party Parliamentary Olympics Group which was launched at the House of Commons.

It will act as a forum for debating issues around the bid within Parliament.