Tottenham Readying Lawyers Over Olympic Stadium Decision

English Premier League soccer side Tottenham Hotspur have taken the first step towards launching a legal challenge to the decision to award the 2012 Olympic Stadium to London rivals West Ham United.

Having put forward West Ham as the preferred bidders of the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC), a spokeswoman for the body has confirmed that Tottenham have warned that they could take them to court over the controversial decision. 

In an interview with BBC London, the OPLC spokeswoman stated: “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 OPLC referred their decision to the UK Government and the London Mayor Boris Johnson for ratification, as joint owners of the OPLC, 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.”

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

A spokesman for Tottenham Hotspur said: “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.”