Who should light the Olympic flame at London 2012?
Lord Coe's answer was succinct when asked why Daley Thompson gets his vote to light the Olympic flame in 367 days' time.
'Coz he's my mate,' said the chairman of LOCOG.
But then came the serious part.
'I also do happen to believe he’s the greatest Olympian we’ve delivered. Not just in track and field. The greatest Olympian.'
Lord Coe has 'formally decided' to 'absent' himself from the decision about who should light London's Olympic flame. It will instead be left to film director Danny Boyle and LOCOG's creative team, who are reponsible for designing the opening ceremony on July 27 2012.
The overwhelming favourite, according to bookmaker Paddy Power, is Sir Steve Redgrave (8/13), followed by Dame Kelly Holmes (10/3), David Beckham and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson (both 12/1). Thompson (himself a CBE) is further adrift alongside Sir Chris Hoy and Sir Matthew Pinsent at 16/1.
But Lord Coe's claim Thompson, who won Olympic gold in the decathlon in 1980 and 1984, is our 'greatest Olympian' is not merely empty hyperbole, or the kind words of a friend. So why not Daley Thompson? He is viewed as controversial but Sportsmail has been asking many Olympians, past and present, about their all-time Olympic hero and, more often than not, Thompson's name is mentioned.
The man himself, now 52, is leaving it for others to decide, but is excited about seeing an Olympic Games in his own backyard.
Thompson said: ‘Am I jealous? Yes! It would have been really nice – in fact, the only thing I didn’t do was have a home Games to compete in – but it would have been unbelievable to have done it.
‘If people don’t get too over-burdened with the pressure then a home crowd can be a fantastic advantage. Hopefully it will inspire our athletes but it will also make people from other people feel bad and not perform so well. Let’s "boo" all those people who aren’t wearing our kit!
'I’m just glad it’s here so I can take my kids and go and enjoy the atmosphere and the festivities, like everyone else is going to, I hope.
'I think London will have a very different feel to Beijing and, from my point of view, a better feel. We’re going to have a very personal Games.
'There’s no point in trying to make a better Games by being bigger than Beijing because that would be a really tough act to follow.
'But we can make it much more personal; get more involvement from people and I think that is what is going to set our Games apart and make it the best Games ever.'
The question remains: who will light the Olympic flame to kick off 'the best Games ever'?
Daley Thompson is an ambassador for BT Storytellers. Go to: www.bt.com/storytellers
'I think London will have a very different feel to Beijing and, from my point of view, a better feel. We’re going to have a very personal Games.
'There’s no point in trying to make a better Games by being bigger than Beijing because that would be a really tough act to follow.
'But we can make it much more personal; get more involvement from people and I think that is what is going to set our Games apart and make it the best Games ever.'
The question remains: who will light the Olympic flame to kick off 'the best Games ever'?
Daley Thompson is an ambassador for BT Storytellers. Go to: www.bt.com/storytellers
