"The money doesn’t come into the equation - the money will be found,” Andy Hunt, chief executive of the British Olympic Association (BOA), told insidethegames in an exclusive interview.

"Money is not the driver for how many athletes we will take to the Games."

Hunt indicated that the size of the team he had in mind was "circa 530 athletes, circa 900 accredited team members, circa 1,500 people in total that will support the team when you add in all the volunteers".

He added: "The complexity of what we need to plan and deliver in 2012 is unprecedented."

Hunt said that, with most international qualifying standards now published, "we are now in negotiation and discussion with all 26 sports in order to set the Olympic qualifying standards".

The aim was to "have that entirely completed by the end of this calendar year".

He went on: "Our position is we would like to field teams and athletes from every sport.

"They have got a unique opportunity at the London Games to compete, which they wouldn’t necessarily have at other Games.

"There has been significant investment from the Exchequer and Lottery into those sports to drive them to credible performance in 2012.

"Where sports are using host-nation places…[we have a duty to ensure that] they are going to perform credibly in London.



"Take basketball as an example: We would expect basketball - they will probably be the last sport to hear if a host-nation place has been granted - to demonstrate credible performance, as FIBA will.

"And in addition, we want to see a compelling legacy plan for the sport in this country post-2012 because, to provide that opportunity to them, we need to know that there is a good return on investment for sport and for all stakeholders.

"But if you ask me right now, ‘Am I confident that all of the sports will be able to achieve those aims of credible performance and compelling legacy plans?’

"I do believe that they will, they are all on track."

Hunt also disclosed that the BOA was taking on a number of so-called "sports engagement managers" who would work under Sir Clive Woodward, the BOA’s Director of Sport and become "the single interface between the organisation and the sports".

These individuals, he said, were "the people who will have an intimate understanding of the way that the sports operate on a world-class level.

"They are the guys that will have a seamless migration into Games-time mode that we have never had before.

"Some are here, some are coming onboard, but again it’s about maximising the opportunity of 2012."

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