Former Olympic boxing champ Campbell joins calls for Games to head North
COMING NORTH? The Olympic rings, representing the union of five continents. Picture credit: Girish Sangammanavar
By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor
Former Olympic boxing champion Luke Campbell has joined other northern leaders in calling for the Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in the North of England.
Campbell, who won bantamweight gold at the 2012 Olympics in London and is now the Reform UK Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire, is among the signatories of a letter to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy calling for the North to host the Games for the first time in its history.
The Great North – a collaboration of mayors and leaders across the North – has written a joint letter to Nandy calling on Government to commit in principle that any future UK Olympic and Paralympic bid is based in the North and for a fairer redistribution of major events across the country.
They say the North already has many of the foundations in place to deliver a world-class Games, including elite sporting venues, major stadia and arenas, established transport hubs, accommodation capacity, and world-class broadcast and creative capability.
It follows a call from the Heseltine Institute for the North of England to host a multi-city games, citing the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s growing support for multi-city, region-wide bids, making a Northern England Games both credible and timely.
Mayor Campbell said: “Winning gold at London 2012 is one of the proudest moments of my life. The whole country came together as one, and it meant everything to me to represent our nation on the world stage – and show that someone from Hull can go all the way.
“Bringing the Olympics to the North isn’t just about sport. It’s about giving our kids something to aim for, creating real opportunities and showing the world what this part of the country has to offer.
‘IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT SPORT’: Mayor Luke Campbell
“Here in Hull and East Yorkshire, sport is a big part of who we are. Our communities turn out in their thousands to back their clubs, and I’m confident we’ve got the passion, the grit and the creativity to make this bid a real success.”
The leaders say the case for the North of England is compelling, and that the International Olympic Committee’s move towards multi-city and region-wide Games creates a moment of opportunity that the UK should not miss.
Celebrated global events that have or will be held in the North include the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, the EURO 2028 football championships, the Great North Run, Rugby League World Cups, The Open, Ashes Tests, the Grand National, and major football tournaments. The Tour de France will be hosted in Cumbria, Liverpool City Region and Yorkshire in 2027, while the World Snooker Championships in Sheffield is a regular feature in the North’s sporting calendar.
Other major cultural events held in the region include Hull’s year as UK City of Culture in 2017 and Bradford’s in 2025, hosting the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, and showcases including the MOBO Awards, Turner Prize, MTV European Music Awards and the BRITs.
Northern mayors and leaders believe a Games anchored in the North would represent a once-in-a-generation opportunity to accelerate regeneration, rebalance the economy, and reset international perceptions of England. It could act as a catalyst for long-term investment in transport, skills, housing, grassroots sport and cultural infrastructure, with benefits lasting well beyond the closing ceremony, they say.
In the letter, mayors and leaders have asked government to:
Agree in principle that any future UK Olympic and Paralympic bid is anchored in the North of England
Support proportionate feasibility and preparatory work in partnership with Northern mayors and leaders
Align early on the legacy objectives of any bid, ensuring long-term benefit for Northern communities, including a plan to redistribute more major events to the North as a catalyst for jobs, regeneration and attracting more visitors.