Richard Caborn has been confirmed as the minister for sport, following Tessa Jowell's return to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Caborn is the last minister to have been placed as part of Tony Blair's post-election reshuffle, which has also seen the addition of two junior ministers – James Purnell and David Lammy – to the ranks of DCMS, although their specific roles are still to be confirmed.

The widely-expected move has been largely motivated by the need to maintain political and personal continuity ahead of the 2012 Olympics vote in July – both Caborn and Jowell have been lauded for good ambassadorial performances with members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Mike Lee, communications director of London 2012 said: “Their re-appointment sends a very strong signal to the international sports community."

Caborn himself added: "I feel there is an air of confidence about the Olympic bid team and I think we are now looking at the winning post."

The latest figures from independent analysts at aroundtherings.com suggest that this growing confidence may be justified. While London is still in second place behind Paris, the gap has narrowed – London trailed its French rival by just one point in the website's latest power index released on Monday. Details: www.culture.gov.uk