U.K. Sport has announced a £27M ($42.8M) national lottery campaign to bring more than 70 major sporting events to Great Britain over the next six years, which "it believes will cement the legacy of the London 2012 Games," according to James Riach of the London GUARDIAN. The proposal includes 36 world and European championships. U.K. Sport has scored the athletics' 2017 World Championships, which it regards as the "jewel in the crown." Other "flagship events" include the 2013 Triathlon World Championships, to be held in London's Hyde Park, and Glasgow's 2015 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships. U.K. Sports Minister Hugh Robertson revealed that the government "would consider a bid" to host the semifinals and final of Euro 2020, while a bid for a European Olympic Games "could be a possibility should such a competition emerge." Robertson said, "I want to keep the momentum generated by London 2012 moving forward. I don't want us falling off a cliff edge in the years to come, and one of the best ways of doing that is to ensure that we have a series of major sport events coming to this country. Without major events I think it is increasingly difficult to inspire young people to take up sport. There is no doubt that success at this level inspires people to take up sport" (GUARDIAN, 11/14).
