Following a bid headed by former Olympic champion Sebastian Coe and then-Mayor of London Ken Livingstone, London was selected as the host city on 6 July 2005 during the 117th IOC Session in Singapore, defeating bids from Moscow, New York City, Madrid and Paris.[6] London was the first city to host the modern Olympic Games three times,[7][8] having previously done so in 1908 and in 1948.[9][10]