Dublin included to Olympic relay route

LAUSANNE, Switzerland - Agence France-Presse

The London Olympic Games torch relay will include Dublin in its route the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Thursday a gesture which would have been unthinkable a few years ago.
Gilbert Felli, Olympic Games Executive Director, said that it would be a one day event and take place on June 6 and added that there were no concerns over possible repeats of the disturbances that affected the Beijing Torch Relay in several cities on the international route.
“It wasn’t for the IOC to give approval but we got the final appraisal from LOCOG today (Thursday),” said Felli following the IOC Executive Board’s discussions.
“We needed to wait for the approval from the Irish NOC and the Irish government who are responsible for the route which we got a few days ago.
“Regarding Beijing relay and what happened then that is why it (the Dublin decision) has been taking a bit of time.
“Knowing the sensibility of the issue here we wanted to know that the Irish government was in the loop.
“All analyses were made of the risk to security and it was based on those analyses the board took its decision.”
Irish IOC member Pat Hickey told AFP that it was the culmination of a four year campaign by him in unison with other interested parties and had indeed been another significant step forward in the ever closer relations between the two countries. “Next year will be the 15th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement (the political treaty which effectively ended the violence in Norther Ireland),” said Hickey. “The Torch is a symbol of peace so what better symbol to come across the border of Northern and Southern Ireland than that.”
Hickey, who said that everyone from IOC President Jacques Rogge to British PM David Cameron had been extremely supportive, said it was a proud moment. “For me in my career in the the Olympic Movement it is a great honor and a great privilege.”