Mayor Job Cohen had talked about the plan at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and the city's Alderman Maarten van Poelgeest said today such Games were for the whole country.

 

He said: "The scale of the Olympic Games affects the whole of the Netherlands.

 

"Nevertheless, especially in Amsterdam Olympic locations must be found at an early stage."

 

Van Poelgeest said that earmarking of the locations for the Olympic Stadium, other venues and the Athletes’ Vllage will take place until the end of the year before more detailed planning is to begin.

 

The 1928 Olympics were notable as for the first time it was the first occasion that the flame was lit during the Games and also the parade of nations started with Greece, which holds the origins of the Olympics, and ended with the host country, a tradition which continues today.

 

The athletics events were held on a 400 metres track and would become the standard for athletics track and also these Games were the first to feature a standard schedule of 16 days, which is still followed.

 

Previously, competition was stretched out over several months.

 

There were 2,883 competitors from 46 countries who competed in 15 sports.

 

Among the gold medallists were Johnny Weissmuler, who later appeared in several Tarzan movies, who won two gold medals in swimming.

 

Britain finished 11th overall in the medals table with 20 medals, three of which were gold.

 

They were won by the coxless four in rowing, Douglas Lowe in the 800 metres and David Burghley in the 400m hurdles.

 

Burghley later became a member of the International Olympic Committee and was President of the International Amateur Athletics Association (IAAF) for 30 years.