updated 2:15 p.m. ET Dec. 12, 2006

LONDON - Britain won’t change its laws to make sports doping a criminal offense before the 2012 Olympics, Sports Minister Richard Caborn told Parliament on Tuesday.

“We think it would be disproportionate to what we want to achieve,” he told a science and technology committee. “It’s very important that sport should deal with its own misdemeanors.”

Italy had criminal anti-doping laws in place during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.

Also announced Tuesday, public support for the Olympics is at 79 percent across Britain. It’s the highest since London was awarded the games in July 2005.

The survey was conducted throughout the country in December on behalf of the London organizing committee. The approval compares to a 75-percent rating in September 2005.

“These results are very heartening and reflect the support we have seen on our travels around the U.K.,” organizing chief Sebastian Coe said. “The whole of the U.K. is looking at ways to maximize benefits from the games. Such strong public support will help us make sure no opportunities are missed.”

Organizers hope the poll results allay concerns over the rising costs for the main Olympic park complex in east London. The British government announced recently that the figure had gone up by $1.7 billion to $6.25 billion, mainly because of higher steel prices and security concerns.

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