Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Further proof, if it were needed, that the IOC thinks it has backed a winner in London came at today's co-ordination commission press conference at the Park Lane Hilton.

They don't like to be labelled as inspectors, but in effect that's what they are and at times in Athens, they were enforcers as well.

But London, according to Denis Oswald,the Co-Com chairman, is for athletes and spectators alike.

Oswald cited unprecedented levels of detail about security and transport four years before an Olympics.

It must have been music to the ears of a rather subdued Lord Coe, who later denied being a bit hang-dog about , and joked the penalties weren't so bad after the second pint of Courvoisier.

Fair play to the Chelsea nut who agonised long and hard before giving up his match tickets and seat on a plane to nibble crisps and watch the game on a hotel telly with the IOC's finest.

To be honest, the ringing endorsement of London's progress from the IOC was expected.

The domestic obsession with costs and budgets is a right and proper debate, but largely academic to the IOC.

Their priorities are a polished and smooth-running event for all the stakeholders in venues that are finished and work, with a suitable nod to their future legacy, and they believe London is firmly on track to deliver.

They will only begin to worry about costs if the arguments start to tarnish the brand, but looking at the shortlist of cities competing for 2016, and others talking about their 2020 bids, there seems little risk of that at present.

So what did we learn? When pushed, Oswald still cited to overcome, but even that was qualified by a statement of confidence in the plans, which he rates at 9.75 out of 10. Nobody's perfect.

We learned that the IOC rates London's security advisors very highly, and that they they like the plain, but fit-for-purpose main stadium plans.

Oh yes, and we discovered one other thing. Boris Johnson, new London Mayor and now part of the team, can converse with Oswald in Latin, a subject that the Swiss studied for eight years at school.

I wonder if it'll still be all in four years time.