The London 2012 Olympics Blog

London 2012 Olympic news: Italian company Mondo becomes London 2012 sponsor

2010-06-04T10:08:00.000+08:00

This is the news from USA Today regarding the sponsorship of the Olympic Games:

LONDON (AP) — Italian track manufacturer Mondo has become an official sponsor of the 2012 London Olympics.

The company was unveiled Friday as a tier-three supplier by London organizers, becoming the 31st domestic sponsor of the games.

Mondo will supply the track and warmup track for the Olympic Stadium, as well as equipment such as hurdles and high jump bars. It will also supply the surface or flooring for up to 10 Olympic and Paralympic sports.

Mondo will provide some of the materials on a rental basis, promising to reassign them for future use after the 2012 games.

Mondo has supplied the past nine Olympic Games, starting in Montreal in 1976.

News Source: USA Today

Comment:

For the past 9 Olympic Games, it's Mondo who got the major sponsorship. It began in 1976, or about 34 years ago. So does this meant to say that in the past 34 years no one of its competitors has surpassed and challenge MONDO? Im not really familiar with this company, but Im pretty sure that this is a really big company.

Another side of my thought also says that this company only exist to do business with Olympic Games and International Game events around the world, so they always make sure to get the sponsorship of these events or else they will never have a good business at all.

News Update: London 2012 Olympics on budget despite costs rise

2010-06-02T10:05:00.000+08:00

Anticipated costs for the 2012 Olympic build and infrastructure have risen but the project remains on time and budget, a report has said.

Figures reveal that expected final costs have gone up by £5m, a report by the Olympic Delivery Authority said.

The increase was blamed on transport and infrastructure for the Olympic Village and Stratford City.

The government said it would not use the contingency fund and described the projected budget as stable.

Sport and Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson said: "My suspicion is that this will now become less a contingency for construction and more a contingency fund for the wider project."

Currently, there is £1.2bn of the contingency left with 65% of the venues and infrastructure for the London 2012 Games already completed.

Changing scope

Mr Robertson said the scope of the project "was changing in front of our eyes" and added that further challenges awaited.

He added: "The most damaging thing for the project would be to surrender contingency now and then have to go back to Treasury in 18 months and say 'we need some more money'."

Cuts to the Olympic budget are not without risk, says Tessa Jowell

ODA chief executive David Higgins said the organisation could make the £27m of savings called for by the Government as part of the £88m of cuts announced this week to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

ODA chair John Armitt said: "This report shows that the project continues to be on time and within budget.

"The ODA has worked hard to make considerable savings since the start of the project with £600 million saved to date to keep us on track."

Meanwhile former Olympics minister Tessa Jowell has revealed that the mayor of Sao Paulo has registered an interest in buying London's temporary basketball arena in time for the next Olympics in 2016.

She said: "London's basketball arena may have a second life in Sao Paulo."

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News source: BBC News

London 2012 Olympics: IOC hit four countries with ticket punishment after breaching rules

2010-06-02T09:08:00.000+08:00

Four countries will have a reduced ticket allocation for the London 2012 Olympic Games after breaching International Olympic Committee rules in selling tickets for the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

IOC director Gilbert Felli said the four countries, which he declined to name, would be punished for the way in which the sales of their Vancouver allocation were handled.

Each National Olympic Committee receives a quota of tickets that they can sell to the public in their home territory, but some NOCs in the past have passed the tickets on to touts for profit.

Felli said London Olympic Games organisers could learn the best lesson from Vancouver in adopting some of the ticketing processes that were introduced to counter the website fraud and empty stadiums that engulfed the previous Games in 2008 in Beijing.

They include reselling of tickets when people leave stadiums, the re-buying of unused tickets and the organising committee running a ticket resale scheme to avoid ticket touting.

"In the issues of ticketing there are about 10 to 15 lessons. It was a success in Vancouver so we will make sure London applies them," Felli said. However the Vancouver Olympics were affected by the fraudulent use of credit cards to purchase Games tickets.

Several Britons are also being pursued in the courts in regards to the Beijing online ticketing fraud which affected Games spectators around the world.

Meanwhile, Felli announced there would be a neutral safety expert appointed by the IOC to oversee the safety of the luge and bobsleigh track at the Sochi Winter Olympics.

It comes after the tragic death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili on the eve of the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Olympics in February.

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NEWS SOURCE: TELEGRAPH.CO.UK

Asian entries for 2012 Olympics qualifiers, does not include the Philippines

2010-06-02T08:12:00.000+08:00

Here's the news from Tehran Times which talk about Asian entries for 2012 Olympics, read the news below or go to the source website Tehran Times:

Thirty-four teams will fight it out for three spots in the men's competition while 16 teams will be vying to earn two berths in the women's competition.

Participating teams in the men's competition are Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, DPR Korea, Korea Republic, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, UAE, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Yemen. Jordan are the notable absentees.

In the women's section, the confirmed teams are Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Japan, DPR Korea, Korea Republic, Myanmar, Palestine, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

Detailed information including the competition format on the qualifiers will be provided to all participating Member Associations in due time.

News Source: Tehran Times

So where's the Philippines, don't they have any team to send to the Olympics? Are they too busy for the National Elections? Or the outgoing President have exhausted all the funds of PAGCOR that is intended for sports development.

We hope that the Philippines could also send their team to the London 2012 Olympics, there are a lot of potential athletes in the Philippines and its time they will be given their chances to shine.

Walk rings round the 2012 Olympics site

2010-01-02T21:09:00.000+08:00

IT'S JUST under 1,000 days until the 2012 Olympic Games gets under way.

The Olympic site is nearly twice the size of the Italian city if Venice but definitely not as beautiful - at least for now.

But as the site takes shape tour parties are already enjoying the chance to get to learn more about the site and its history.

Starting from Bromley by Bow tube on a Saturday morning the Blue Badge guides from Tour Guides Limited lead walkers on a gentle stroll along the waterways of the East End and to a look out over the Stadium which is fast taking shape.

Security means we're not allowed onto the site itself but this walk takes advantage of the Greenway, a public footpath which passes close by.

Blue Badge guide Jo Hoad is the antidote to any dyed in the wool Olympic cynic.

She is enthusiasm itself with enough facts and figures to fascinate and a real advocate of the planned regeneration the 2012 Games should bring to east London.

"We should be celebrating the Games," she said. "That's what this walk is all about. I don't want to hear anything else."

If you want to know how much water material has been recycled on the Olympic site or how the waterways are being cleaned or what's happening with the new shopping centre at Stratford Jo knows all the details.

Jo can remember exactly where she was on the day that London won the Olympic bid. She was guiding a group of teenagers who were on the last day of their 'another day, another city' European tour and took them to Trafalgar Square for a day they would never forget.

The walk takes in Three Mills Island and the recording studio where Boris Johnson joined rehearsals for the Olympic handover ceremony in Beijing and heads beside the waterway towards Old Ford where salmon smokers Forman found a new home when they had to make way for the Olympic stadium.

*Walks start at 11am every Saturday and Sunday, price £8

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The Source - East London Advertiser
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London 2012 Olympic Track cycling programme completed

2010-01-02T20:39:00.000+08:00

The revamp to the Olympic Track cycling programme - first revealed by the Daily Telegraph in September - has been completed with a UCI announcement confirming the exact format of the new Omnium event.

The one surprise is the addition of a sixth component to an event which is being promoted as cycling’s equivalent of the decathlon, designed to find the best all-round cyclist in the world. The omnium, which will be contested by 24 riders, will now finish with an elimination race normally known as a 'Devil take the hindmost'

A bunch race, the last rider over the line every two laps is eliminated until you have a winner. Popular at club level it has the potential to provide excellent TV and in the organisers wildest dreams, of course, the overall medal contenders would all be involved in the final shake-up.

The other important announcement from the UCI is that the other races within the Omnium will all be contested at their regular distance which should deflect any accusations that they will be a water down version of the real thing. In the Pursuit the distance will be the full 4km for men, 3km for women, in the Points race it will be 30km for men and 20km for women, and in the Sctatch 15km for men, 15km for women.

The Men will also contest the classic Ikm time-trial (Kilo) and the women a 500m time-trial. The only event that differs from the "norm" is that the sprint will comprise simply of a timed flying lap (normally 250m) and will not progress to seeded knock out rounds.

The effect of all of the above should be to accentuate the difference in class and levels of performance and bring the balance back towards the endurance riders after the UCI faced criticism that it leant to heavily towards the speed merchants. Over a full 4km Purusit distance the endurance athlete should be able to strike hard and a 30km Points race should also be in their favour.

The new format for the Omnium will be introduced with immediate effect at this season’s World Championship which will be held in Copenhagen in March.

Format of the Omnium at London 2012 Olympics

Flying lap (250-metre time trial)
Points race (30km for men, 20km for women)
Individual pursuit (4km for men, 3km for women)
Scratch race (15km for men, 10km for women)
Kilometre time trial (500m for women)
Elimination race

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The Source - Telegraph.

London 2012 Olympics: Moments in 2010 that will matter in 2012

2010-01-02T20:32:00.000+08:00

As the new year begins, there are still two-and-a-half years to go until the start of the Olympic Games in London but 2010 will provide another crucial proving ground for British competitors hoping to step on to the podium in 2012.

And this year will also provide a great chance for people living all around the UK to watch Olympic sport at the highest level, as part of an initiative to hold a world-class event in the UK every fortnight between now and 2012.

Here is a taste of what is to come in 2010 - important dates for GB athletes and events that you can attend yourself - as momentum builds to the London Olympics.

There are loads of events not on this list but I've aimed to cover as wide a spread as possible. Please let me know what and who you will be watching in the next 12 months.

January - Handball

In the past, handball has been one of those Olympic novelty sports that fills the schedules when there are no Brits in action, but the GB teams qualify as hosts for the 2012 Games and are busy raising their games to ensure they will be competitive.

Although they are not taking part in the World Championships in Croatia in early January, Great Britain's men will be taking part in a qualifying tournament for the next world champs, which take place in Sweden in January 2011.

They must face Bosnia & Herzegovina, Romania and hosts Finland, with the winner going into a further qualifying round in June. Realistically, GB's hopes will be to grow further in experience, rather than qualifying this time, but they are taking another big step to 2012.

February - Winter Olympics

The sports may be different but the last big Olympic party before 2012 takes place for a fortnight in Vancouver, starting on 12 February.

Despite funding levels that are roughly 1.5% of that available to the summer sports - which will receive around £235m between 2008 and 2012 - Britain's winter Olympians could return from Canada with as many as six medals.

The men's and women's curling teams, figure skaters Sinead and John Kerr, world bobsleigh champions Nicola Minichiello and Gillian Cooke and the skeleton team - including 2006 Olympic silver medallist Shelley Rudman - all have their sights on podium places, while skiier Chemmy Alcott and snowboarder Zoe Gillings are both optimistic of success.

March - Track Cycling

Victoria PendletonVictoria Pendleton was Team GB's sole gold medallist at the World Championships in Poland

After the relative disappointment of last year when Great Britain returned from Poland with just one gold medal, from sprinter Victoria Pendleton, the team that won four times as many track cycling medals as any other nation in Beijing must reassert their Olympic credentials and this year's World Championships in Copenhagen from 24 March.

Sir Chris Hoy is back in action after a hip injury that ruined last season, and we should get an early idea of whether he will be able to repeat his Beijing haul of three golds in London, when he will be 36.

There will also be a chance to get a assess the new Olympic programme, which will include the omnium, track cycling's pentathlon, in which David Daniell and Jessica Varnish could be Great Britain's best bets for success.

April - Badminton

From 14 April, Manchester's MEN Arena will showcase Europe's best efforts to break the dominance of the east on Olympic badminton, as the best from the likes of Great Britain and Denmark battle at the European Championships.

In Beijing in 2008, China won eight of the medals on offer, while Indonesia, South Korea and Malaysia took the rest.

Can Great Britain's Nathan Robertson who won Olympic silver in 2004 and world gold in 2006 in the mixed doubles with Gail Emms, enjoy similar success with new partner Jenny Wallwork on the European stage?

Keep an eye out too for British youngsters Chris Adcock and Gabby White, who have both impressed since Beijing.

May - Gymnastics

Beth TweddleBeth Twedlle celebrates after winning the fllor exercise gold at the World Championships

After the resounding success of the World Artistic Gymnastics at London's O2 Arena in 2009, the European Championships take place in Birmingham from 21 April 2010.

The first week of action at the National Indoor Arena showcases the men, with 2009 all-around silver medallist Daniel Keatings now a household name and 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Louis Smith - who fell in the the pommel final at the O2 - bidding to bounce back from that disappointment in front of another home crowd.

The second week is for the women, with 2009 world floor medallist Beth Tweddle getting a clearer idea of whether she will be able to challenge for 2012 gold or whether 2010 will prove her final fling.

May - Paralympic World Cup

Since 2005, the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester has been the largest multi-sport elite disability event outside the Paralympics and has provided some top-class competition for GB athletes against some of the world's best.

The likes of South African sprinter Oscar "Bladerunner" Pistorius and his compatriot, swimmer Natalie du Toit, regularly feature alongside top Brits like wheelchair racer Dave Weir and swimmer Ellie Simmonds and cyclists Sarah Storey and Jody Cundy.

The format, which has generally included athletics, swimming, wheelchair basketball and track cycling, has yet to be finalised for this year but, with world championships coming up later in the year, the swimmers and basketball players are likely to view this as a key warm-up event.

June - Women's Boxing

Women have competed under the banner of the Amateur Boxing Association of England since 1996 but their Championships this year have extra significance after the 2009 decision to include women's boxing at 2012.

When the finals take place on 6 June, keep an eye out especially for the top boxers in the Olympic categories - 51kg (flyweight), 60kg (lightweight) and 75kg (middleweight).

Rotherham-based veteran Sharon Holford won at 51kg last year and has her sights firmly set on 2012 but where will be see Liverpool's three-time national champion Natasha Jonas, who must either slim down or bulk up from the 64kg she fought at in 2009 if she is to be an Olympian?

July - Hockey

The Women's Champions Trophy, for the top six teams in the world, takes place at Highfields Sports Club in Nottingham from 10-18 July, and will be a useful form guide for September's Women's World Cup in Buenos Aires.

England, who finished bottom in this event last year but went on to take European bronze later in the summer, are joined by defending champions Argentina, World Cup holders and Olympic champs the Netherlands, China, Germany and New Zealand.

A parallel event in Nottingham will see the country's top men gain a rare chance to compete as their Olympic line-up, Great Britain rather than England, in a four-team tournament also involving regular nemesis Germany, New Zealand and Japan.

July and August - Athletics

Phillips IdowuPhillips Idowu hopes to add Olympic gold to his world triple jump title

Every summer seems like a big one for athletics. The European Championships, starting on 27 July at Barcelona's 1992 Olympic venue Montjuic Stadium, provide this year's showpiece, but there are also some interesting moves afoot that could help make the world's top athletes the household names they were a generation ago.

In Barcelona, heptathlete Jessica Ennis and triple jumper Phillips Idowu aiming to continue the fine form that brought them world titles last year, while Olympic 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu will aim for a return to form after struggling last season.

Two weeks later, they will be in action at Crystal Palace, where the London Grand Prix part of the new IAAF Diamond League (successor of the Golden League), which comprises 14 meetings around the world from may to August.

London is to only meeting that will take place over two days and feature all 32 "diamond" events, with a four-carat diamond (worth approximately £50,000) up for grabs to the winner of each series. Olympic 100m and 200m champ Usain Bolt is likely to be just one of the stars on show.

September - Archery and Road Cycling

Edinburgh plays host to the biggest archery event ever seen in the UK on the weekend of 18 and 19 September, when the world's top 32 archers will compete in the World Cup Final at East Princes Street Gardens.

This event, which is the culmination of four World Cup qualifying stages hosted around the world, will allow new Great Britain coach Lloyd Brown to assess his team - which includes 2009 World Cup Final silver medallist Simon Terry in front of a home crowd.

Arguably the most significant event with Olympic implications this year, though, will begin in Melbourne on 29 September, where Britain could have credible candidates for each of the top four events at road cycling's World Championships.

British Cycling have had a long-term plan to deliver a 2010 world crown to Manx Missile Mark Cavendish, on a track that is expected to see a bunch sprint at the finish. Meanwhile Nicole Cooke, who won world and Olympic road titles in 2008, will aim to bounce back here.

Bradley Wiggins will focus on the Tour de France with the new British-based Team Sky this season but will also be eager to make up for last year's world time trial, when a mechanical problem robbed him of a medal.

And Rebecca Romero will have a chance to find out whether she has a hope of winning an Olympic title in a third discipline. The former rower won track pursuit gold in 2008, only to see the event removed from the Olympic programme a year later. Can she make a successful transition to road racing?

October - Commonwealth Games

The closest most British athletes get to the Olympic experience at any other time is at the Commonwealth Games, starting on 3 October in Delhi, which feature 13 of the 26 disciplines that will feature at London 2012, rugby sevens - which will be in Rio in 2016 - and lawn bowls, among others.

For some aspiring British Olympians, for example the swimmers, this will be the highlight of their year as they compete for England, Scotland or Wales. Others, like track-and-field athletes, are likely only to take part as long as there is no clash with their long-term aims, and their is an outright clash for gymnasts with the World Championships.

The likes of wrestling and weightlifting will see the event as a chance to give competitors who do not usually star on the world stage, the chance to experience the pressure of a multi-sport event, and perhaps pick up the odd medal too.

And watch out for cyclist Mark Cavendish, who might just crown his year with a victory on the track for the Isle of Man. Four years ago he won the island's first Commonwealth gold for 20 years in the scratch race (which will feature here but not at 2012).

November - Rowing

Rowing's World Championships, which take place in the first week of the month, are in New Zealand for the first time since 1978 and are the point at which Great Britain must prove that the experimentation of 2009 has paid off.

They will also provide a challenge for coaches and athletes, who will aim to be competitive at the World Cup series in Europe in the early summer, then take a break but maintain their form before the Worlds, which are two months later that usual.

Will Katherine Grainger stay in a single or move back to a crew boat as she bids to follow three successive Olympic silvers with a gold to end her career? Will Andy Hodge and Pete Reed continue their bid to be the next Redgrave and Pinsent, or head back to the four, where they won Olympic gold in 2008? Will Greg Searle continue his comeback to 2012? Results here are likely to answer those questions.

December - Equestrian sport

Just as equestrian sport took place in Hong Kong rather than Beijing during the 2008 Olympics, the likes of dressage, showjumping and three-day eventing seem to follow their own schedules with little reference to the Olympic movement for much of the period between Games.

However, the London International Horse Show at Olympia, which begins on 14 December in 2010, is an annual chance to see the world's best in dressage and showjumping, with FEI World Cup qualification places on offer for the top events, as well as the annual crowd-pleasers, such as the Christmas Puissance and the Shetland Pony Grand National.

One of the stars of the 2009 event, Ellen Whitaker, missed the Beijing Olympics because her horse, Locarno, was lame. The duo are likely to be reunited and back in form with less than two years to go before another Olympic shot in London.

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The Source - BBC

Chris Hoy is only going for gold at London 2012 Olympics

2009-12-28T20:01:00.000+08:00

From google news:

Sir Chris Hoy may sacrifice one or two of his Olympic titles to guarantee one gold medal at London 2012.

Hoy, 33, won three golds in Beijing over five gruelling days.

He said: "It'd be lovely to defend all three but I wouldn't risk losing a gold for the sake of having three bronzes or silvers."

from Mirror.co.uk Sports

London 2012 Has Backing of 79% Of The British Public

2009-12-23T00:16:00.000+08:00

A nationwide survey shows that public support for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 remains high, with confidence that the UK will stage a successful Games growing to 79 per cent from 76 per cent last year.

With just under three years to go, over three-quarters (75 per cent) of people are pleased that London is hosting the Games. This compares with 78 per cent in the previous survey a year ago which was conducted following Team GB’s success at the Beijing Olympics.

When asked about the benefits of the Games, 78 per cent said they believe the benefits should be wider than just sport, with nearly a third (31 per cent) of people saying unprompted they want help for the UK economy to be a long-term benefit from 2012. Increased participation in sport is considered an important benefit by 18 per cent of respondents.

As in previous years, strongest support from a nation or region comes from Northern Ireland (83 per cent) followed by London (80 per cent). People living in the host boroughs are the most supportive at 85 per cent. Young people aged 16 – 24 years also remain positive about the Games with support at 79 per cent, while people from Asian ethnic groups are some of the Games’ biggest supporters at 81 per cent. Even where enthusiasm is lowest, support remained at more than two-thirds at 67 per cent in the North East.

Seventy-one per cent said they believed the Games will have a positive effect on the UK as a whole, and 82 per cent think there will be a positive effect on London. In the host boroughs, 84 per cent believe there will be a positive impact on London. When asked about the impact on their own lives, 25 per cent anticipate a positive impact (55 per cent in the Host Boroughs) and 24 per cent on their local community (46 per cent in the Host Boroughs).

Tessa Jowell, Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, said:

"This research shows that public confidence that London 2012 will be a success has grown to 79 per cent after another year of good progress across the Olympic programme.

"It also shows that people want the Games to help the economy, with one in three saying that this was a benefit they wanted to see from the Games. In a difficult year the Olympics has created jobs and helped to keep order books busy up and down the country, a key factor in maintaining support for the Games.

"But we are not complacent, and nor do we take the public’s support for granted. We want London 2012 to be everyone’s Games which is why it is important that we know what their priorities are."

Among other findings, the poll suggests that:

- 72 per cent nationally are interested in London 2012 - the figure in London itself is 80 per cent and 86 per cent in the Host Boroughs;
- 43 per cent believe that the benefits of 2012 should be felt after the Games as opposed to in the run-up (20 per cent) or at Games time (30 per cent);
- 49 per cent believe ensuring the long-term benefits for the UK is more important than securing a high medal tally in 2012 (13 per cent);
- 35 per cent feel that they know about current plans for the Games (51 per cent in the Host Boroughs);
- 33 per cent would give up their time to a local Olympic inspired activity (48 per cent amongst young people);
- 76 per cent are confident that effective security will be in place for the Games.

This is the third annual survey conducted to help develop plans to maximise the legacy from staging the Games – identifying the public’s priorities across a range of issues. y.

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from eGov Monitor

London 2012 Olympics offers sponsorship for PR services to agencies bidding

2009-12-23T00:06:00.000+08:00

Agencies vying for the London 2012 Olympics PR business have been asked whether they are willing to provide their services in return for sponsorship of the Games.

Six agencies have been selected to tender for the business. According to the tender document which has been seen by PRWeek, they are asked to indicate whether they are interested in pursuing a 'value in kind' deal for a particular sponsorship tier.

The lowest sponsorship tier is worth approximately £10m, causing some sources involved in the process to question the clause. 'The account is worth about £2m over the next two and a half years. So why would you put up £10m (in services)?'

London 2012 director of comms and public affairs Jackie Brock-Doyle defended the clause, saying it was a standard part of all 2012 contracts. 'What we do with all our contracts is tell people about sponsorship. How they want to structure their proposals is up to them.'

Earlier this year, McCann Erickson was awarded advertising duties for the 2012 games in return for £10m worth of tier-three sponsorship, rather than a fee. Brock-Doyle said that 'comparing industry sectors is not useful,' but stopped short of saying that a 'value in kind' proposal would not influence the tender's eventual outcome.

'What we will be judging agencies on is creativity, deliverability and value for money' she said. 'Nobody is dictating anything and we've asked them to come back with proposals.'

It is understood that agencies from WPP, Chime Communications, Publicis Groupe, Interpublic Groupe and Edelman are in the running for the account. Proposals are expected to be submitted soon, prior to presentations in mid-January and a decision by the start of February 2010.

The account does not include press office work, but does cover a wide range of activities including PR for the various event, licensing, ticketing, mascot and education programmes. The successful agency is also required to provide public affairs and political monitoring.

Agencies will be selected according to five criteria: quality of proposal; strength of network; creativity; strength and quality of team; and commercial offer.

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from PR Week UK

London 2012 Olympics organisers aims to house athletes in hotels near Wembley Arena

2009-12-21T12:17:00.000+08:00

Organisers will spell out their plans to an International Olympic Committee inspection team that starts work in the capital on Wednesday in the face of continued unease over the travel time from the Olympic village to Wembley.

Gymnastics chiefs have described travel times of up to an hour as “unacceptable”, and will not sign off the move unless a solution can be found. Badminton’s administrators harbour similar reservations.

London believe that Olympic lanes and traffic “interventions” on the North Circular can cut the journey to under 45 minutes, but will also offer satellite village services in neighbouring hotels

Wembley Arena to host London 2012 Olympics

2009-12-20T08:13:00.000+08:00

Badminton and rhythmic gymnastics at London 2012 are set to be held at Wembley Arena after approval from the International Olympic Committee.

The move, made citing the "exceptional circumstances" of the recession, would mean a temporary £40m venue will not need to be built in Greenwich.

Badminton's governing body wanted to be near to the Olympic Park in Stratford.

But athletes are likely to be offered nearby accommodation and training facilities to cut travel times.

The Badminton World Federation's council is due to meet in Bali on Friday to discuss the issue.

"There is some saving to make - the two federations have been very co-operative and understand it was wise to look for a cheaper solution," said International Olympic Committee (IOC) official Denis Oswald after a two-day inspection of London's preparations.

"The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games [Locog] has made proposals in that direction, which has agreed in principle by the two federations.

"It still has to be finalised but we have no doubt this situation will be finally resolved in the coming few weeks."

Locog chairman Sebastian Coe said: "It's a combination of cost - everyone recognises the world has changed dramatically since when we bid - but it's also about legacy and athlete experience.

IOC's Denis Oswald addressing the media in London
London is on track to deliver an excellent Games

IOC official Denis Oswald

"So these are the fine judgements. But these are the last two sports. Wembley's been agreed by the leadership of those two sports and the leadership of the IOC as well."

London mayor Boris Johnson said: "I am pleased and thank the two federations for understanding our concerns to save money wherever we can in these tough economic circumstances."

Oswald, the chairman of the IOC's co-ordination commission, came to London's support when it was suggested they had reneged on their bid promise for athletes to "compete and not commute", saying that the global financial crisis had caused exceptional circumstances.

"I don't think we can say London went back on their promise," said Oswald.

"The two venues are exceptions and we should not forget that training facilities are all very close to the Village and athletes spend 90-95% of the time training rather than competing.

"If in two sports the athletes have to travel a little further than expected and can walk from a hotel to the venue I don't think it can be an issue.

"We just hope we won't have a world financial crisis every four years."

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has campaigned for the cost-saving move to Wembley.

"I am pleased and thank the two federations for understanding our concerns to save money wherever we can in these tough economic times," he said in a statement.

"I am confident that Seb and his team will ensure that every athlete competing at Wembley in 2012 will not only have a great venue, but all the facilities they need, right on the doorstep, to help them go for gold."

Oswald said the inspection overall had been very positive and that significant advances had been made since the IOC's last visit in April.

"With less than 1,000 days to go until the opening ceremony of the Games we have been hearing about the advances made by Locog in the last few months.

"A lot of work has been done since we were here last time, this is very positive and we really start feeling the Games are taking shape.

"London is on track to deliver an excellent Games."