Olympics

International Olympic Committee to the British Olympic Association's lifetime ban policy

2011-10-09T04:07:00.000-07:00

International Olympic Committee to the British Olympic Association's lifetime ban policy on offer to help to athletes convicted of serious doping offences.

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Intense British Olympic Association for convicted drug cheat your life is under pressure to end the ban after the World Anti-Doping Agency urged it to reconsider the rule.

WADA BOA, last night wrote to ask him to rule "an appropriate tribunal" to seek clarification of the review as to whether its bylaw is compliant with the WADA code.

CAS ruled earlier this week that the IOC in the next Olympic athletes use banned drugs by the rule of law BOA Casting doubt on the lattice.

IOC has ruled that CAS law is not an issue of eligibility was approved and WADA believes the same may apply to the BOA rule.

Mark Cavendish asked David Millar Manxman his ban for his World Championship title in 2012 to help increase the gold challenge.

Cavendish told Telegraph Sport, “Absolutely he should [challenge the ban], he showed how great he is at the World Championship and for me he is one of the best on-road captains in the world”.

Millar title in Copenhagen a pivotal role in helping Cavendish, but EPO use bars them from London to surrender two-year ban imposed his.

London 2012 on Friday ahead of the game at the end of the three-day inspection, senior IOC member Denis Oswald said that the boa will decide which team has the right to support.

He received support from Lord Coe, London 2012 Organising Committee chairman says the lifetime ban he supported.

“On the BOA I have always believed that it is appropriate for autonomous sporting organisations to lay down whatever by-laws it thinks it needs”.

Rebecca Adlington: new face of Speedo

2011-09-14T06:38:00.000-07:00

With the 2012 London Olympics fast approaching, everyone seems to be talking about everything and anything in relation to the Olympic stars.
A recent article in the telegraph, wrote how "Double Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington will be unveiled as the new face of Speedo, the world's largest swimwear brand, on Thursday in a sponsorship deal that should keep her in Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin shoes all the way to London 2012."

Speedo have built a brand which not only caters for swimwear lovers, but for swimming lovers, who strive for maximum performance in the water. If its good enough for Rebecca Adlignton, its good enough for us!

Check out all the latest Speedo swimsuits at www.tucanobeach.com!

Cheap International Calls during Olympics

2011-09-05T10:39:00.000-07:00

Calling family and friends abroad direct from a UK mobile phone is now even cheaper with SIM only deals from Pay As You Go mobile companies in the UK that specialise in cheap international calls.

Call family and friends overseas for longer from your mobile and tell them about the Olympics and your experiences. SIM only deals offer great savings. See VectoneMobile.co.uk, our favourite.

London 2012 Olympics, British diver Tom Daley is the primary reason

2011-08-18T11:49:00.000-07:00

London 2012 Olympics, British diver Tom Daley is the primary reason for the party after receiving his exam results.

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Olympic Games medal hope with this training is a combination of education, and came away with an 'A*' grade and two 'B' grades from his end-of-year exams.

Daley, 17, finished the year with a level of photography and he will during his education in mathematics and Spanish at the Olympic run through the module will be completed.

Daley tweeted, "Ok got the results!!!! Maths B, Spanish A and Photography A* :) gonna retake one of my maths modules but kinda happy :)"

Daley combines study with training on what his headmaster at Plymouth College describes as a ""a flexible academic programme to fit in with his various commitments".

Young and his team mate Pete Waterfield at the World Aquatics Championships last month I was out disappointing, finishing sixth in the 10m synchro platform competition.

Daley himself in equal fifth place just can not manage alone.

Daley said, "I'm pretty pleased to have finished fifth. There were a number of world class divers out there tonight who were all diving amazingly.

"I think my consistency has improved here and my new armstand dive was pretty good today and I'm pleased with this.

"The London Olympics really excites me and I can't wait to have the opportunity to compete in front of that home crowd. The World Series in Sheffield was amazing because of the crowd and there were only 600 people there and it'll be incredible when we have thousands in London."

London Olympic Games organizers to change the Olympic test event

2011-08-09T14:53:00.000-07:00

Horse Guards Parade in London Olympic Games organizers to change the Olympic test event before dark beach volleyball match on Tuesday night to end.

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Organisers said: "We feel this is a sensible and pragmatic approach given recent events in London".

Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson said the beach volleyball in the security review was supported by Downing Street.

Robertson said, "We looked at the policing numbers and the fact that this part of London is quite well policed anyway and the active policing of the venue was being provided by private security firms".

10pm last night on organizers of the competition scheduled to end at 7.15pm rather than brought in three matches.

London 2012 Olympics a year with facts and figures

2011-07-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

London 2012 Olympics a year with facts and figures to:

_ Olympics run from July 27 to Aug. 12, 2012.

_ 10,500 athletes from more than 200 countries.

_ 5,000 officials and coaches.

_ 20,000 broadcast and print media.

_ 26 sports in 32 venues.

_ Local organizing committee: LOCOG.

_ LOCOG chairman: Sebastian Coe.

_ Public sector budget: 9.298 billion pounds ($15 billion).

_ LOCOG's private operating budget: 2 billion pounds ($3.2 billion).

_ Mascots: Wenlock (Olympics) and Mandeville (Paralympics).

_ Olympic Park: 2.5-square-kilometer (1-square-mile) site in Stratford, East London.

_ 5 new permanent Olympic Park venues: Olympic Stadium, aquatics center, velodrome, handball arena, international broadcast/main press center.

_ 2 temporary Olympic Park venues: basketball arena, hockey center.

_ Olympic Village: residential blocks on edge of Olympic Park, providing new homes and school and medical facilities after the games.

_ Other venues include:

Wembley Stadium (soccer)

Wembley Arena (badminton, rhythmic gymnastics)

Wimbledon (tennis), Lord's (archery)

Horse Guards Parade (beach volleyball)

Hyde Park (triathlon, open water swimming)

Earls Court (volleyball) Greenwich Park (equestrian)

ExCel (boxing, fencing, table tennis, judo, taekwondo, weightlifting)

North Greenwich Arena (gymnastics, basketball)

Weymouth (sailing)

Eton Dorney (rowing).

Tokyo hopes a bid for the 2020 Olympics

2011-07-17T04:44:00.000-07:00

Tokyo hopes that a bid for 2020 Olympics March 11 earthquake and tsunami recovery in Japan will serve as a signal.

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Japanese Olympic officials on Saturday, the Tokyo 2020 bid will be officially revealed at a press conference is scheduled.

Japanese Olympic Committee President Tsunekazu Takeda Kyodo news agency said, "we believe the Olympics will aid in the recovery and reconstruction of this country, and we want to help create a new Japan for the future, for our children."

Tokyo, which hosted the 1964 Olympic Games 2016 in Rio de Janeiro hosted the race to lose.

March 11 earthquake and tsunami killed about 23,000 or left missing in northeastern Japan.

Britain at the 2012 London Olympics has increased funding for our team

2011-07-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

Britain at the 2012 London Olympics has increased funding for our team, player of the spending is falling slightly from Beijing.

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British Olympic Association chief executive Andy Hunt announced on Tuesday that 21 million to $ 550 on home soil will be spent on players.

U.S. $ 41,200 to $ 38,000 per player from the 2008 championship game works out.

Britain finished fourth in the standings is to medal in Beijing.

Hunt says "we have to recognize that maintaining that fourth place in the medal table is going to be very, very tough."

International Olympic rivals Pyeongchang (IOC) vote in committee in Durban

2011-07-06T11:50:00.000-07:00

The first Winter Olympic bid, a bitter defeat to South Korea Pyeongchang another pill to swallow deep national pride was stung, but victory on its third try has been hailed as "one of the happiest days for our country".

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International Olympic rivals Pyeongchang (IOC) vote in committee in Durban, Germany and France at Munich's crushing victory in Ennis on Wednesday for the 2018 Winter Olympics, won the right to host.

Yang Ho-cho, chairman of the Pyeongchang bid committee, told reporters, "This is one of the best moments in my life".

"This is one of the happiest days for our country, our people and millions of youths dreaming of winter sport."

International Olympic rivals Pyeongchang (IOC) vote in committee in Durban, Germany and France at Munich's crushing victory in Ennis on Wednesday to host the 2018 Winter Olympics to get right.

"The last time I was in the presentation and we failed. I cried and cried a lot," said Chun Lee-kyung, a former Olympic short-track speedskating champion.

"I didn't cry this time," she said. "It felt like a dream."

South Korea planned to congratulate the organizers were among the first.

Sochi 2014 chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said in a statement, "Like Sochi 2014, they offer an exciting "New Horizon" for the Olympic Movement".

"Together we'll take the power of Olympics to new territories. Pyeongchang will be an excellent host city and I look forward to working with them in the future."

"BIG PARTY"

London hosted the Olympic Games next year and the next British Olympic Association chairman Colin Moynihan Pyeongchang out for praise dished.

He said in a statement, "As the first Asian city outside of Japan to host the winter Games, Pyeongchang will bring the excitement of the winter Olympics to a new audience".

"We look forward to what we are sure will be excellently organised Games that make Asia and the Olympic Movement proud."

South Korea has already sunk billions of dollars over the years in Pyeongchang, building infrastructure for what the government said was a top national priority, hoping the world would one day come.

"So many Korean people and in Pyeongchang have been working so hard for so long," said Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yuna, South Korea's most celebrated winter sports athlete.

"I am just happy, so happy," the 20-year-old added.

IOC President Jacques Rogge said that patience and perseverance had prevailed in the end.

The Pyeongchang delegation, used to playing the part of good sports after losing close decisions, exploded after the decision was made in its favour and Wednesday night is likely to rock.

"A party, a big party," Park Yong-sung, president of the Korean Olympic Committee, said when asked what was planned.

London's Olympic champion Evan Lysacek is back on the Grand Prix schedule

2011-06-28T04:10:00.000-07:00

The London's Olympic champion Evan Lysacek is back on the Grand Prix schedule after taking last season off.

Lysacek skate caught the U.S. on Monday and Trophee Bompard Grand Prix assignments on the list issued by the International Skating Union. Vancouver after the match, where the first American Brian Boitano in 1988 to win the Olympic gold medal became a man.

Lysacek of the 25th anniversary tour, "Stars on Ice" tour, including promotions and the like, left a heavy schedule last season. But he refused to return to competition, in January, said he still was doing the Olympic program run throughs and are working on a quadruple jump.

NBC Olympics officials over the cost of $4 billion by 2020

2011-06-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

This decision with the knowledge of NBC Olympics officials over the cost of $4 billion by 2020, a four-game contract to maintain the rights of American television.

Two officials on condition of anonymity, spoke to Associated Press because it has been decided yet officially by the International Olympic Committee has announced.

NBC Fox ESPN and three against - has won competitive bids.

The network will have exclusive rights to the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.
The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The 2018 Winter Games and 2020 Olympics, whose sites have not yet been chosen.

NBC Sports from 2002 to 1988 and every Winter Olympics since the summer is broadcast.

Gareth Bale Football Association of Wales clash to represent Britain at the Olympics

2011-05-29T04:01:00.000-07:00

Gareth Bale Football Association of Wales clash with a cast yourself on course after he announced that next year they want to represent Britain at the Olympics.

Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland football players compared to the London Games to take part in are not ready to allow international football as they fear their independence will be compromised.

Bale said, 'I want to play in the Olympics. I think it would be a great experience'.

'At the moment, Wales haven't qualified for a major tournament in, I don't know how many years, so it would be nice to play in one against the best countries in the world.

'You see it with the British and Irish Lions in the rugby, they come together as a unit and play against other countries. It's great and there's no reason why that can't happen with the football.'

Stuart Pearce 21's team to team to make the majority of Baltistan forum is a good chance of making the team reason under the promise and tie with England is keen to Olympic medals.

Tottenham star said, 'I'm not massively into athletics but I watch the 100 metres final and the other track and field events. You see the athletes getting medals and I think there's no reason why we can't get a medal ourselves'.

Burberry invest at the London's Olympic

2011-04-17T07:23:00.000-07:00

The luxury goods brand Burberry is planning to “aggressively reinvest” by reconfiguring its store portfolio and opening new retail space in London, according to chief executive Angela Ahrendts.

She said, The company, which is based in London but only a third of sales in the European market is city's "most important market" goals make.

Olympics next year is the presence of Burberry London promoting his decision is encouragement.

The company recently on London's Regent Street shop Habitat acquired and Covent Garden last week before the store opened Burberry BRIT.

However, the company even bigger step to boost your profile in the capital plan is thought to. If successful, the result will be “the greatest thing that has happened to London for a long time”, said Ms Ahrendts.

Ms Ahrendts said, “I think it’s time that we aggressively reinvest in London – our real estate footprint and our brand footprint. Last time I looked there was a big thing called the Olympics coming and they are inviting millions of people into the town”.

She said, “We have been investing in flagship markets all over the world, and... we feel that the time is appropriate now to start re-investing in London”.

Sh added, “Here is my thing. It is our headquarters. Shouldn’t it be our greatest flagship market in the world?"

Olympic Park Legacy Company selected West Ham over Spurs

2011-03-30T10:05:00.000-07:00

Tottenham (today) Wednesday in London 2012 Games Olympic stadium for the West Ham challenged the decision in hand, his main web site open the way for a possible court battle.

The Olympic Park legacy Company East London £ 486 million (777 million dollars) as the venue of the proposed tenant at West Ham, Spurs selected.

Tottenham said that questioning the legitimacy of this decision and it OPLC and has sent a letter to the British government, "raising concerns with the processes which led to the award."

Tottenham said in a statement, "The letters also requested — in the interests of transparency — for the provision of certain information concerning the processes, which the club considers that it is entitled to".

The OPLC said earlier Wednesday had met Tottenham "a letter before action in relation to potential judicial review proceedings."

The OPLC said, "We are confident that if these judicial review proceedings are pursued, our approach will be entirely vindicated by the courts".

West Ham Stadium to 80,000 seats from 60,000 to downsize it as a multi-use venue, the arena in the UK going to track intends to keep promises.

Tottenham stadium most of the demolition and building a 60,000 seat, one website Football crucially only place without a running track was proposed.

The club Crystal Palace, South London British National Track and Field, by refurbishing the venue for the Games to provide an athletics legacy intended.

The OPLC said, "The Olympic Park Legacy Company ran a very rigorous and transparent process in its selection of the recommended preferred bidder. We have been supported by independent experts in their field in terms of legal, financial, commercial and technical advice.

"We have been consistent, fair, objective and entirely equal in our dealings with the bidders from start to finish."

Iran to participate in Olympics despite logo complain

2011-03-13T01:25:00.000-08:00

Iran despite complaining that the Games logo resembles the word "Zion", had confirmed there participation in London Olympics 2012.

Last month to the International Olympic Comittee had been complained by Iranian and called for the graphic to be replaced.

They raised their fingers on the grounds that its similar to the word Zion - a Biblical term for Israel - was racist.

But earlier it has been confirmed by the Iranian media that the nation will participate in Olympics 2012.

"We will make co-ordination with officials of the International Olympic Comittee and we will participate and play gloriously in London Games."

Say velo to the first 2012 Olympics track

2011-02-24T16:25:00.000-08:00

The first games venue to be completed for 2012 Olympics is 6,000-seat stadium in Stratford, East London.

Victoria, 30, and four-times winner Sir Chris Hoy, 34,Olympics gold medalist were impressed.

Sir Chris said: "It's fast. There is no reason why world records could not go here." Victoria added: "We want it to feel like home turf."

Perkins joins London 2012 team

2011-02-20T09:20:00.000-08:00

Another former swimming great, Kieren Perkins has been announced by Australian Olympic Committee and he will be the part of the Australian team at next year's London Olympics.

As an athlete liaison officer (ALO) he will go to London.Along with two time gold medalist Perkins include fellow pool stars Geoff Huegill, Ian Thorpe and Michael Klim, all of whom have signalled their intentions to compete in 2012.

"I'll be there to support the 450 athletes on our team," he said.

"I don't think the older guys will need my help but I am looking forward to working with the younger team members in a mentoring role.

"I was very lucky before the Barcelona Olympics, my first games, to have a long conversation with Murray Rose, in terms of the psychology of coping with the pressure of the situation and understanding how you deal with all of the excitement and everything that's generated around the Olympics."

Savannah Marshall on boxing at London 2012

2011-02-15T14:57:00.000-08:00

Savannah Marshall is aiming for boxing gold at the Olympic Games in 2012.
Women's 75kg

Age 19

Born Hartlepool

Honours 2009 EU champion; silver in 2010 women's world boxing championships

"At the start of last year my goal was to make the Olympic squad as women's boxing had only just been confirmed as part of 2012. Winning the silver medal at the world championships in Barbados was definitely my highlight of the year. But even though it was a massive achievement to reach the final at my first world championships, I was, of course, a little bit disappointed to miss out on the gold. In 2012 I plan to go one further."

Selection of volunteers begins for 2012 Olympics

2011-02-06T11:08:00.000-08:00

For volunteers for next year’s Olympic Games,interviews were commencing in London today.

Another eight selection centres – including one in Coventry – will open around the UK between March and August.

for the 70,000-strong London 2012 Games Maker volunteer team,up to 100,000 people will be interviewed over the next 14 months.

Volunteers will be tested such as working in the stadium or media centre – and will be tested on leadership, communication skills and working under pressure.

There are several roles available such as ticket checkers,car park marshals,showing people their seats and carrying the athletes’ kitbags.

Rogge fears illegal betting at London Olympics

2011-01-28T14:03:00.000-08:00

Jacques Rogge president of international Olympic Committee admits that London 2012 is at great risk because of illegal betting.

Rogge expressed that the IOC was calling a conference on March 1 to look an approach to the problem alongside governments and sporting bodies.

The betting issue had been monitoring for some long time by IOC said Rogge and further stated that there had been no reason as yet to suggest the Olympics has been affected so far.

"Illegal and irregular betting is a major threat for sport, probably at the same level as doping," he said.

"We will call upon the support of governments the same way we did in 1998 to create the World Anti Doping Agency."

"We should not be so naive to think it will not happen to the Olympics some time in the future, possible even in London."

12,000 working on Olympics site

2011-01-20T14:13:00.000-08:00

According to new figures,it has been found out that the number of workers employed on the site of next year's Olympic Games in London has reached over 12,000.

To build the Olympic Park and the Olympic Village,12,112 workers, ranging from builders and steel-fitters to architects and engineers are included.

For supplying goods and services to the 2012 project,thousands of jobs have also been created across the country.

On the Olympic Park development around 1,200 previously unemployed local people have found work.

ODA chairman John Armitt said: "The big build of the Olympic Park and Village is on track and within budget and that is testament to the commitment and skill of the contractors and workforce.

"In a challenging period for the construction industry our contractors are employing 12,000 people and meeting our targets to take on local people and apprentices.

"Thousands of jobs up and down the country have also been created and protected in the supply chains delivering 2012 work."

Police not to lead 2012 Olympics security

2011-01-14T07:14:00.000-08:00

The top British police officer overlooking the security for the 2012 Olympics expressed that policing for the London 2012 Olympics will not be oppressive and that police, not armed soldiers, will lead the huge operation.

Chris Allison,National Olympics security coordinator says that major part needs to be perform by the military, police will dominate. He suggested that the Royal Navy, for example, may be asked to help in events near the water.

Allison's remarks on Thursday quashed concerns that the police may have to go to the military at a time of wide-ranging cuts in public spending.

He said he is confident police can handle the operation, which spans 34 venues across the capital and requires the participation of 11 police forces around the country.

Thorpe eyes London Olympics

2011-01-09T14:38:00.000-08:00

Thorpe eyes are on next year London Olympics and he is back training in the pool and has not ruled out a return to competition.

"it's a long way from here to London", Thorpe was enjoying swimming again and "never say never," told the sportsman manager.

Thorpe was retired in 2006 and to be eligible for London Olympics drug-testing in the next six to eight weeks to make him eligible a year out from the Australian trials next February or March.

Tom Daley plans to win diving gold at the London Olympics

2011-01-04T17:01:00.000-08:00

Tom Daley plans to be in the driving seat in more than ways than one as he embarks on a “massive year” in his quest to win diving gold at the London Olympics.

The world and Commonwealth platform champion must finish in the top eight at the World Championships in Shanghai in July to guarantee his place at the London Games, and he faces the added pressure of trying to perfect the hardest repertoire of dives in the world to give himself every possible advantage over his twisting, somersaulting rivals.

The Olympic village at Osprey Quay was the first site for the 2012 Games to be completed in November 2008 and will host up to 400 international athletes.
tickets going on sale in March to the final lick of paint being administered to the Olympic Park, 2011 represents a key year in engaging the British public in a home Olympiad. Telegraph Sport looks at the key dates throughout the year.

London 2012 organising committee will publish dates of Olympics and Paralympics tickets going on sale. Water polo, beach volleyball and handball are expected to find out their fate for 2012 inclusion from the British Olympic Association. Volleyball was granted an automatic spot last month, so it remains to be seen whether the BOA will take ahard line approach to the remaining sports. The full schedule of test events are also due to be announced in the first quarter of 2011 too.

Local stars gear up for 2012 Olympics

2010-12-30T17:46:00.000-08:00

FIFA’s big wigs had not been persuaded by England as the country was selected for the 2018 FIFA worldcup.

But in recent London 2012 Olympics preparations are on peak these days.If the British athletes don’t deliver gold medals in their respective sports then there’s no point having the best stadia, volunteers and transport system.

And keeping this thought in mind our top stars are already focussing on 18 months time.For them 2011 will going to be as significant like the Olympic year itself.

To boost confidence 11 of Greater Manchester’s finest will be encountering with the world’s best in the next 12 months.

Here, Trevor Baxter looks at 11 local sportsmen and women for whom 2011 will be a crucial year heading into the London Games.

Taurasi May Face Olympic Ban for Positive Drug Test

2010-12-24T14:47:00.000-08:00

Diana Taurasi,American's double basketball gold medallist is facing the prospect of missing London 2012 after testing positive for a banned drug.

Her lawyer Howard Jacobs has confirmed,the star has been suspended after her drug test results in positive for those supplements which are banned.

Like most WNBA players, Taurasi spends her off-season playing overseas and she was appearing for Istanbul's Fenerbahce.

Henin, Clijsters could pair up for Olympics

2010-12-09T15:58:00.000-08:00

For the London Olympics 2012 Henin And Clijsters both are keen to compete as a pair despite only playing together once before, when Belgium lost to Russia in the 2006 Fed Cup.

US Open champion Clijsters said, ""Obviously for the Olympics, it would be beautiful,It would be nice to go out in such a way."

Henin won the 2004 singles title in Athens while on the other side Clijsters has never competed at the Olympics.

"There is a real willingness to be there," added Henin, who will be playing for the first time since injuring her elbow at Wimbledon in an exhibition match with her compatriot this week.

"We can already think about it. Everything is open to consider this.

"For sure, I'm still not 100 percent (fit). But if I realize where I came from, I am lucky and happy to be where I am now. I thought at some time, that I would never get back."

10,000 special constables for 2012 'unattainable'

2010-11-29T06:06:00.000-08:00

10,000 constables were hired in order to recruit and to to help police the 2012 Olympics.Scotland yard bosses have admitted that it is still unattainable.

To help secure the sporting extravaganza senior officers were under pressure to treble the ranks of volunteers.

As a result, top Met officers have agreed to set their sights on signing up 6,667 officers by March 2012.

And they have warned the goal of amassing a 10,000-strong workforce may not even be reached three years later

Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson has been told the higher target, set by London Mayor Boris Johnson, was an "aspiration" and is "probably unachievable".

He has agreed to draw £1.4 million from reserves to pay for the recruitment of specials after the Home Office cut funding.

Ministers have said they want to "unlock the potential" of specials, and want to consider creating ranks of police reservists based on the Armed Forces model.

There are around 3,350 specials working in London on patrol and in some specialist units. They carry warrant cards and have the same powers as full-time colleagues.

London 2012 venues 'ahead of schedule', says IOC

2010-11-18T23:45:00.000-08:00

A leading IOC official after touring the first new venue completed for the 2012 Games praised London's preparations after visiting the first venue Velodrome.

Denis Oswald, who heads the IOC's coordination commission for London, inspected the arena as work was finished on the timber track.

"Every visit to the Olympic Park provides us with yet another impressive sign of the progress that is being made here and today's visit is no exception,"

Organisers say the 6,000-seat, £94m venue will be completed early next year. Overall, judged Oswald, London is "ahead of time and this is very satisfactory in comparison to previous [Games]."

Harry Redknapp The Great Britain Football Team At The 2012 Olympics

2010-11-10T14:22:00.000-08:00

For the London 2012 Olympics lots of name are under considered to take part in Olympics 2010.London 2012 Organising Committee chairman Lord Coe previously approaching Sir Alex Ferguson to take up the job.

As England boss, Redknapp was favorite comparing Fabio Capello when the Italian steps down after Euro 2012.

Admits he would consider the Olympics role, but that he is in the dark about the job.

"Of course, anybody would be, wouldn't they?" Redknapp told the Daily Mirror.

"But, suddenly, it's 'Harry wants to be manager of whatever'.

"Never at any stage has it entered my mind."

Redknapp added: "I don't know who selects it, how it gets selected."

2010-10-27T03:45:00.000-07:00

Dame Tanni is confident there won't be a shortage of people putting themselves forward this time: "I think what's happened in the past is that the Paralympics has been something that's come after the Olympic Games.

"What we want really is for people to volunteer for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games...it's really important we get the right number of volunteers for the Paralympic Games to make sure they run smoothly."

Out of the 70,000 volunteers required for the 2012 Games overall around 23,000 will work at the Paralympics.

Confident

Everybody, it doesn't matter who you are, has something to contribute towards being a volunteer in London 2012."

Special Olympics soccer

2010-08-28T11:32:00.000-07:00

Olympics Special Buncombe Country will hold its first meeting and practice 6 p.m. Sept. 7. The schedule of the game will be discussed. All subsequent practices will be held at 6-7:30 p.m. At the soccer field through on Tuesday Nov. 16. The location of the dates will be announced. The Buncombe County Special Olympics Soccer team in any eligible person can sign up. In Special Olympics its free for players who participate. All players must have a recent physical and release forms on file in order to participate.

Danny Boyle to direct 2012 Olympics opening ceremony

2010-06-17T02:07:00.000-07:00

Oscar-winning film-maker Danny Boyle will be artistic director for the London 2012 Olympic Games opening ceremony, organisers have announced.
The Slumdog Millionaire director said he was "honoured" by his appointment.
Boyle said it was a "unique opportunity to contribute to what I'm sure are going to be a fantastic Games."
Director Stephen Daldry is one of four other "creatives" who will oversee the Olympic and Paralympic Games' opening and closing ceremonies.
Beijing 2008 Games designer Mark Fisher, TV director Hamish Hamilton and producer Catherine Ugwu will also be part of the team.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Boyle said his job was "to provide a thrilling, enthralling, captivating evening."
"Hopefully it'll take its place in the list of openings, but it'll be a new beginning as well."
"Myself and my co-executive producers will ensure there is creative continuity across all four ceremonies, that the public have real engagement and that we continue to attract into key roles the best talent in the world," said Daldry.

"I'm delighted to be part of the team."
"These Games are bringing together world-class British talent," said Lord Coe, chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).
"Each one of these individuals would hold their own on the worldwide stage.
"They are joining names like children's author Michael Morpurgo who has created the story behind our highly successful mascots.
"We are delighted with the team we have brought together to deliver our ceremonies in 2012."

London 2012 Olympic mascots: 'computer generated Smurfs for the iPhone generation'

2010-05-20T02:11:00.000-07:00

What is it about these Games which seems to drive the organisers into the embrace of such patronising rubbish? If London 2012 is going to be remembered for its art, then we can declare it a calamitous failure already.

They already have the worst logo which has ever been designed, and now they have these horrible computer generated Smurfs for the iPhone generation.
Why do we have to endure this sort of cretinous infantilism, and this awful lowbrow pandering to primitive ideas of fun? It’s so depressing, because London is just about the most exciting city on earth and we could do so much better than this. But what we have is an absolutely pitiable advertisement for the creativity of London. We just seem to be getting dimmer, dumber and crasser.
This is one of the most advanced nations on earth – do we really need to represent ourselves through cuddly creatures? Why can’t we have something that makes us sing with pride?
Aaron Shields, partner, BrandInstinct
My overall impression is that the new mascots are about as accessible as the 2012 logo, which tells you everything you need to know. A mascot is supposed to be instantly accessible and to stir national pride, and I just don’t think these Wenlock and Mandeville are going to do that. People aren’t going to relate to these very modern creatures.
These mascots have been designed by a bunch of guys who wanted to create something really special, but they have ended up piling on too many layers of meaning and they have forgotten who these characters were supposed to be for.
They are really just there to entertain the kids – people don’t want to invest a lot of time trying to figure out what they are supposed to mean.
The key thing when you’re designing these things is trying to target as wide an audience as possible. Your design buffs may appreciate the craftsmanship that went into these characters, but that’s not the point. They should be something that everyone can appreciate.
These designs are nothing more than a collection of fragments held together by too many ideas. They won’t accomplish what they are trying to do, which is just to get everyone excited about the Olympics.
Ultimately this is just going to see this as yet another disappointment to coming from the 2012 Games.

London 2012 'on track' says Olympic boss Jacques Rogge

2010-04-30T01:52:00.001-07:00

International Olympic Committee chief Jacques Rogge says preparations to host the London Olympics will stay on track even if the government changes.
Speaking at the SportAccord International Convention in Dubai, Mr Rogge said he was comfortable with the possibility of a shake-up.
He said: "We discussed the possibility of a change of government.
"We're at ease about that as the Olympics has a strong multi-party support."
"We are pleased by the pace of construction, preparation and marketing."
'Brilliant venues'
Paul Deighton, CEO of the organising committee for the London Games, added: "We are on time and on budget.
"Anyone who has concerns about preparations should come along and take a look at the Olympic Park and they will be left in no doubt that we will be ready.
"We will have brilliant venues; existing ones as well as new."
Via a video message to delegates, London Mayor Boris Johnson joked that the city should stage the Games a year earlier than planned to "get a head start on the rest of the sporting world".
London will host the 2011 edition of the SportAccord International Convention.
The event will bring together more than 1,500 stakeholders from the sports industry and Olympic movement.

Britain's biggest piece of public art.

2010-04-06T07:30:00.001-07:00

Towering, twisted mass of metal will be Britain's lasting monument to the nation's role in hosting the 2012 games.

Turner Prize-winning artist Anish Kapoor unveiled his design for the £19million sculpture yesterday, a ruby red, helter skelter-style structure that, at 377ft, will stand more than twice as tall as Nelson's column.
It was instantly nicknamed the Eyeful Tower - and likened enthusiastically by London Mayor Boris Johnson to a giant 'hubble-bubble' shisha pipe.

But contributors to Twitter and similar internet sites took only minutes to criticise the work. One described it as 'a rollercoaster that costs £19million a go'. Other early phrases included 'twisted spaghetti', 'horrific squiggles' and 'Meccano on crack'.

Work on the officially-named ArcelorMittal Orbit, which will house a restaurant and viewing platform, has yet to start - and it still needs planning permission.
About 700 visitors an hour will be able to visit the site next to the 193 feet high Olympic stadium. The tower will have a viewing platform and an outdoor walkway.
At its unveiling today, Kapoor, 56, said it was 'thrilling' to be offered the chance to create for the capital something on a par with what Gustave Eiffel made in Paris

Olympic chiefs urged to defy European law and give free tickets to Londoners

2010-03-17T03:50:00.000-07:00

Olympic chiefs should offer Londoners free seats at the 2012 Games, says the Liberal Democrats' Olympic spokeswoman.
Dee Doocey is seeking an exemption to EU law which prevents preferential treatment for fans in the host nation of a major sports event.
Ms Doocey said Londoners living near the Games site in Stratford should be offered free tickets as compensation for the disruption.
She said: “The law is often used as an excuse to do nothing but it would be perfectly possible to offer free tickets to those who will have basically been living on a building site for seven years. It's a different balancing act for Games organisers because they need to raise their ticket revenues at the same time as keeping locals happy.”
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport insist there is no prospect of an exemption. British sports fans have benefited from the ruling at past events such as Olympics in Turin and Athens and the 2006 football world cup in Germany, the sport department said.
A report published today by the Assembly calls on 2012 organising committee, Locog, to publish its draft ticketing proposals.
Londoners must be told the proportion of affordable tickets and how many will be given free to the International Olympic Committee and the Government, the Assembly demands.
The report comes as Locog prepares for the first major stage in its sale of nine million Olympic and Paralympic tickets.
It will attempt to gauge demand by asking members of the public to pre-register for sports events, although it will not offer any guarantees of Games tickets to those who register

Winter Olympics 2010: David Murdoch and curlers in play-off clash with Sweden

2010-02-24T02:15:00.000-08:00

The GB quartet, skipped by David Murdoch, failed to secure an automatic place in the semi-finals after sliding to a 9-5 defeat by Norway in their final round-robin match.
That left them tied with Sweden with five wins and four defeats from the nine-match qualifying phase, which means the two teams must play off for the last remaining place in the semi-finals. Canada, Norway and Switzerland have already qualified.

Sweden defeated Britain 6-4 when they met on the opening day of the Winter Olympics tournament.

Whoever wins the tie-breaker will then face a tough challenge against in-form Canada in Thursday’s semi-finals. The hosts are the only team to come through the round robins with a 100 per cent winning record.

The one comfort for Murdoch, should he overcome Sweden, is that he has an excellent record against Canadian skip Kevin Martin, having beaten him three times on his way to winning the world title in Moncton last year.

But Murdoch will need to rediscover his touch after an off-colour performance against the Norwegians, who stole a two to take early control of the match. Murdoch gave up another steal of three in the seventh end before conceding after the eighth.

“I am pretty disappointed with that to be honest,” said Murdoch. “It was a great opportunity for us and we didn’t take it. We played some great ends there but we just had some slack shots. The score didn’t reflect the game.”

After their defeat, the British players faced an anxious wait as Sweden, needing to beat Denmark to force a tie-breaker, were taken down to the wire by their Scandinavian neighbours before Swedish skip Niklas Edin secured a 7-6 victory with his final stone.

“So now we play Sweden and we just have to see it as another game,” said Murdoch. “At least we are not out of it - that’s the main thing. Hopefully. we will win that game.

“If we win we would play Canada. We like playing them. It always brings the best out in us. It is not something we are scared of and if we played Kevin it would be one almighty game.”

Blackout mystery casts shadow on Brazil's Olympics

2009-11-15T11:46:00.000-08:00

Into the dark days ago a massive blackout that plunged half of Brazil remains a mystery, casting a shadow over the country's energy policy and its plans to host the 2016 Olympics, experts say.
Tuesday night the outstage, which affected up to 70 million people, has proved an embarrassment for the government of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
After initially claiming transmission lines were at fault, then deciding that a storm must have caused a short circuit in supplies from Brazil's largest power plant, officials have been forced to backtrack from efforts to declare the incident closed.
The satellite monitoring agency, the National Space Research Institute, said it was impossible that lightning could have shorted power lines.
An electricity company said no damage the lines had been found, contradicting the energy ministry's official explanation.
As a result, the ministry, the National Electrical Energy Agency and the National Grid Operator were all given to late Sunday to provide detailed explanations of what went wrong under an order from the attorney general's office.
The office, part of the public federal ministry, said it wanted an analytical report within two weeks on the outage that identifies which officials were responsible.
Brazil's media, which covered the traffic chaos and widespread sense of insecurity engendered by the blackout, have also kept the pressure up, as have Lula's political opponents who see an chance ahead of presidential elections in a year's time.
An assertion by Lula that grid failures are an unavoidable fact of life, saying "only God can save us from further blackouts," earned criticism.
Marina Silva, a former environment minister who is positioning herself as a rival candidate to Lula's chosen successor, chief minister Dilma Rousseff, accused the government of "trying to avoid its responsibilities" by blaming bad weather.
Carlos Manuel Portela, an electrical engineering professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, told the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper that the storm explanation by the government was very unlikely.
"With the (global economic crisis), consumption is stable and it doesn't seem to me that climatic variations could have caused interference to this point," he said.
The doubts left in the wake of the outage have left Lula and his government on the defensive as they try to show the world that Brazil is ideally placed to host South America's first Olympic Games in seven years' time.
Questions over the reliability of the electrical grid are now being asked alongside others over the ability of authorities to stamp down on ever-present street violence in the host city of Rio.
Marcio Prado, an energy analyst at Santander bank, told the Estado de S. Paulo newspaper that Brazil's electricity generation would likely start hitting its limits in 2013, when demand would outstrip supply unless projected new power plants come on line.
"There is uncertainty over whether all those thermal plants will be functioning on their forecast dates, and even if they do, their costs will be expensive," he said.
Prado said 19 power plants projects were already running behind schedule.

On London 2012 pushes cost to at least £12bn Olympic-sized overspend

2009-11-07T12:41:00.000-08:00

An investigation has established that the announced sum of £9.325 billion for public spending on the London 2012 games substantially understates the true position.
The Government and other public bodies are spending at least an additional £2.7 billion directly on the Games and Games specific projects.
Much of the extra spending is hidden, has not been publicly announced or has been buried in obscure documents and reports.
The figures have been disclosed after a series of inquiries and Freedom of Information Act requests.
The finding appears to contradict claims by Tessa Jowell, the Olympics Minister, who told Parliament last year: "I have made it absolutely clear to all the many stakeholders in the Olympics that £9.325 billion is the absolute limit of public money, whether it comes from the lottery, the London council taxpayer or the Exchequer."
The extra £2.7 billion includes:
* £1.15 billion spent by Boris Johnson's London Development Agency (LDA) to buy and clean up the Olympic site.
* At least a further £359 million not publicly announced by the LDA, including £269 million in interest payments and £90 million in Olympic grants.
* £389 million for "Games-specific" transport improvements by Transport for London and Network Rail.
* About £60 million costs for Whitehall departments working on Games preparations and legacy planning.
* £240 million spent, or bid for, by local councils.
* A contribution of £110 million by the Homes and Communities Agency quango to the Olympic village.
* £280 million on Olympic-related grassroots and elite sport projects.
Almost £100 million in directly Games-related spending by a range of other public bodies, from the Lea Valley Regional Park Authority to the Arts Council and the NHS.
None of these amounts is included in the publicly-announced figure of £9.3 billion, which is paying for the construction of the Olympic venues, security, most of the Olympic village and other transport improvements.
Hugh Robertson, the shadow Olympics minister, said: "When [ministers] talk about the Olympic budget, it is an extraordinarily misleading term. There is really a number of different budgets that go far beyond the amount quoted."
Mr Robertson said he believed that even the £12 billion figure would prove a substantial underestimate.
"The security budget alone is underpinned by billions of pounds of further policing spend," he said.
Although ministers have insisted that the Olympics is "on budget," this claim applies only to the announced figure of £9.3 billion.
Miss Jowell has not misled MPs on this core spending, but, over the past year, there have been substantial rises in the cost of the extras, with the LDA's spend on Olympic land alone increasing by 16 per cent and the Homes and Communities Agency's spend on the Olympic village increasing by 23 per cent.
The revised figure of £12 billion means that the Olympics' call on the public purse has now increased almost sixfold from the original figure of £2.05 billion given in London 2012's bid document in Nov 2004.
In a series of requests, more than 50 public sector bodies were asked whether they had any Olympic expenditure that was not covered in the core £9.3 billion budget.
The Government insisted last night that some of the spending would have occurred regardless of the hosting the Games – albeit at a later date. However, all the projects that make up the £2.7 billion extra have been claimed by the spending body concerned as a direct consequence of the Olympics.
A spokesman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: "We were always clear that there would be additional spending by other public bodies in addition to the main £9.3 billion allocation."
He added that the state could recoup some of its investment from land and property sales. "The Olympics will leave lasting benefits for the whole country. It is an investment in our future, not some sort of burden."

Ticket sales on Saturday to the Final 2010 Winter Olympics

2009-11-03T14:43:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Winter Olympics for the final round of ticket sales begins Saturday.
There are more than 100,000 tickets in Vancouver are available for events, such as curling and hockey. They include seats to gold medal games.
The tickets will be sold on a first-come, first serve basis through the Olympic committee's Web site.
Arrangers are also putting the final touches on their ticket resale Web site, which they expect to launch to help people sell tickets they can't use.

BOA issues team funding warning

2009-10-21T02:13:00.000-07:00

British Olympic Association (BOA) boss Andy Hunt has told national sporting bodies that plans for a 550-strong Team GB at the 2012 Games depends on cash.

The BOA is £4m short of the £8m needed for a team that size and if money is not found the team could be nearer 350.

"We'd like to have the most competitive team across all sports we can but we need to figure out the cost," he said.

"We want to enable people to get their head around the different dynamics and the costs of different team sizes."

Densign White of the British Judo Association said the London Olympics were a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and should be seen as such.

606: DEBATE
Your thoughts on funding for Team GB
"My view is that we should send as large a team as we can," he said.

"£4m is the salary of a Premier League footballer. In the greater scheme of things that's not much."

"Efforts should and will be made to find that extra money.

"We do not want to bankrupt ourselves but as this is a home Olympics it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Hunt insisted the announcement was just part of the consultation process and that no decisions had yet been made.

If you have 550 athletes you probably have 1,100 in the team including officials and the cost of kitting out 1,100 people is enormous

Andy Hunt
"What we did was set out a number of different scenarios from having a completely full team taking every home nation place, down to an option where we go for an incredibly competitive team with a reduced number of athletes," he said.

He also pointed out that the mere fact it was on home soil did not make it any cheaper putting the team together.

"There are as many disadvantages being at home as advantages. It is far more complex not taking the team away to one location," he said.

"If you have 550 athletes you probably have 1,100 in the team including officials and the cost of kitting out 1,100 people is enormous."