Tottenham launch legal challenge over Olympic Stadium decision

By David Gold

March 30 – Tottenham Hotspur have launched a legal challenge to the decision to give the 2012 Olympic stadium to Premier League rivals West Ham after the conclusion of the London Olympics.

The Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) confirmed that the club are taking Olympic chiefs to court, having notified them of their decision earlier this week.

A spokeswoman for the OPLC told BBC London: “We can confirm that a letter before action in relation to potential judicial review proceedings has been issued.

“The Olympic Park Legacy Company ran a very rigorous and transparent process in its selection of the recommended preferred bidder.

“We have been supported by independent experts in their field in terms of legal, financial, commercial and technical advice.

“We have been consistent, fair, objective and entirely equal in our dealings with the bidders from start to finish.

“We are confident that if these judicial review proceedings are pursued, our approach will be entirely vindicated by the courts.”

The case will draw in the UK Government and the London Mayor Boris Johnson, as joint owners of the Legacy Company, and they now have four weeks to respond to the letter in writing.

Tottenham would then have to decide whether to press ahead with the action by serving papers to the High Court.

A City Hall spokesman said: “We are advised and believe that the decision to choose West Ham as the preferred bidder was properly taken.”

The courts allow for challenges on the basis of illegality, irrationality or unfairness, and Tottenham are challenging the process undertaken in the decision to award West Ham the right to move into the stadium in 2012.

Tottenham have confirmed to insideworldfootball that they have requested information relating to the process involved in the decision on the stadium, but insisting that no legal proceedings have been launched.

“At this stage the Club has not issued any proceedings against the Olympic Park Legacy Company (the OPLC) or any other party in respect of the decision regarding the award of the Olympic Stadium.

“The Club’s lawyers have written letters to the OPLC, the Mayor of London, the Minister of Sport and the Secretary of State for Local Government and a separate letter to the London Borough of Newham raising a number of concerns with the processes which led to the award.”

“The letters also requested – in the interests of transparency – the provision of certain information concerning the processes, which the club considers that it is entitled to.

“Tottenham Hotspur will determine its next step as and when it receives a response to these letters.”

Leyton Orient are still considering their legal options as they weigh up whether to take action against the legacy company, as they believe that West Ham’s move to the area poses an existential threat to them.

In an exclusive interview with insideworldfootball recently, Orient chairman Barry Hearn said:·”We will go out of business if West Ham under their current rules operate out of the Olympic stadium and we are left where we are.”

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