Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Chairman of a commission probing atrocities committed during the apartheid era and, until recently, head of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa - has taken on another role: campaigning in Atlanta during the Olympic Games on behalf of Cape Town's bid to stage the Games in 2004.

The retired primate, who serves as the President of the Cape Town bid's Convocation, said that should the 2004 Olympics be awarded to Cape Town when the Olympic authorities take their decision next year, "we can light a torch that will bring prosperity to our country and all the people of Africa".

Rome and Stockholm are, according to most commentators, the main rivals to Cape Town's bid to host the games, with Istanbul, St Petersburg and Rio de Janeiro each seen as having an outside chance.

The bid has been endorsed by South Africa's government and by President Nelson Mandela.

During a service in a Baptist church in Atlanta, Archbishop Tutu pleaded for Cape Town to be awarded the 2004 Games so people from all over the world could share in South Africa's political "miracle".