London bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics being selected by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) when put up against other world cities in a competitive bidding process. On 6 July 2005 at its 117th Session in Singapore, the IOC awarded London the right to host the Games of the XXX Olympiad. The city beat the favourite Paris 54 to 50 on the fourth and final ballot. London is the first city to host the Games three times. At the time of the bid, the budget projection was around £2 billion, but it was later estimated that the true cost would be around £9 billion. The project involved
2005 Games of the Small States of Europe a white owl with multicolored glasses. Bagaleu was designed by an Andorran student. The student also composed a myth of Bagaleu's origins; in this story, he hails from the town of Llorts. Bagaleu publicly debuted in Parc Central in Andorra la Vella on October 20, 2004. IOC president Jacques Rogge and former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch both attended the opening ceremonies of the Games at Sonwell Field. Among the star athletes of the games was Andorran swimmer Hocine Haciane. Haciane won five gold medals and one silver medal, winning the 400 m freestyle, 200 m breaststroke, 200 m butterfly,