'One in four' chance of hosting Olympics

Tessa Jowell said yesterday London could still have only a one-in-four chance of hosting the 2012 Olympics even if Britain went "hell for leather" to win the bidding contest.

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport appeared to put another obstacle in the path of the Government supporting a bid. Ministers have said "winnability" would be a test in deciding whether to support the British Olympic Association's campaign.

Ms Jowell, who has warned the cost of staging the Games could reach £4.5bn, admitted London would face a tough contest. She said she would press Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), tomorrow for a "better assessment" of Britain's chances.

"At the moment the collective assessment within Government, and in consultation with important sporting bodies, is one in three or one in four," she told the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee. "The feeling is a London bid would be a technically strong bid, but we know the decisions about Olympic winners are not made only on the technical ability."

Ms Jowell said she believed London's main competition would come from Paris, a German city and a Spanish city.

Later, Ms Jowell's department said it estimated some 30 voting IOC members would favour the bid, only half the number likely to be required for victory. She reiterated that the final decision on whether to bid – to be taken on 30 January – was hanging in the balance.