OLYMPIC GAMES

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

By Duncan Mackay

August 11 - Ireland today tried to help reassure countries attending the Chef de Missions seminar in London that next year's Olympics will be safe despite the riots that have swept across the country this week when Sonia O'Sullivan told the meeting that she had no doubts that the event would pass off peacefully and set a new standard for excellence.

The 2000 Olympic 5,000 metres silver medallist and former world champion, who will lead Ireland's team at London 2012 and has a house there, addressed more than 200 representatives from National Olympic Committess (NOCs) to back the capital.

"London is a great city," she told the delegates.

"The authorities will learn from the recent events and will strengthen their resolve to make London 2012 a new milestone in Olympic history – a very safe and happy time for all sports lovers.

"I've no doubt but that it will be a massive success"

More than 1,200 people have been arrested across Britain since the trouble started in Tottenham, in North London, last Saturday (August 6).

None of the facilities being built for the Games were targetted but the rioting did briefly erupt within less than a mile of the Olympic Park in East London.

Paul Deighton, the chief executive of London 2012, has addressed the seminar to reassure them about safety and security.

"We in Ireland fully understand and appreciate the immense security issues around major events," said Dermot Sherlock, the secretary general of the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI).

"We have no doubt that the British Government and the security authorities in the UK will deliver a perfectly safe and secure Games for everyone.

"We have absolutely no concerns for the Irish team or for its huge fan base in Ireland and Britain.

"We are all looking forward to a magnificent event."

The rioting which began in London spread to other English cities at the start of the week with Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and Liverpool affected.

The trouble in London forced the postponement of England's international friendly with the Netherlands that was due to be played at Wembley last night.

But support for London 2012 officials has also come from Patrick Hickey, the President of the OCI and also the chief of the European Olympic Committee (EOC).

"I've also spoken to [London 2012 chairman] Sebastian Coe to assure him of our confidence in all the arrangements LOCOG and the British Government have in hand for a secure Olympics," he said.

"In particular, I've wished him safe journey on the Olympic Torch Relay in the UK and that we in Ireland were looking forward to welcoming the Olympic Torch to the Irish Republic as part of the historic peace process initiative with Northern Ireland."

Backing for London 2012 also came from other NOCs.

"The rioting was not a planned action, so it is not an act of terrorism," said Malaysia's Chef de Mission Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid.

"Just that the timing of the incident will tarnish the image of London as the organiser of the Olympics next year."

Dave Currie, New Zealand's Chef de Mission, added his words of support.

"We still have a high degree of confidence that they will have a process and a system that will give us a safe and secure environment next year," he said.

Coe, meanwhile, denied that the riots will tarnish London's image in the build-up to 2012.

"I have spoken to some of the world leaders of sport over the last couple of days, including the President of the IOC [Jacques Rogge], and that's not the view they take," said Coe, while visiting the World Badminton Championships at Wembley Arena, a test event for the Olympics.

"They know that things from time to time come out of left field in cities.

"And effectively within two days we had that under control.

"There are lessons to be learned and over the next year we will continue with our contingency plans, which will deal with all sorts of things including public disorder.

"I am neither sanguine nor cavalier about the disfiguring images which were beamed around the world.

"But we have 205 National Olympic Committee leaders here at the moment and they have been in a city which has had these challenges.

"I am happy that we are on time and on track.

"I say it without complacency - we shall absorb what we can from the test events to deliver at the business end of the seven years we will have had.

Source: www.olympic.org

Preparations for London 2012 have stepped up another gear, with major international sporting events taking place at the triathlon, rowing and sailing venues, as excitement continues to build ahead of next year’s Olympic Games.

London’s Hyde Park played host to the world’s leading triathletes from 6-7 August as part of the ITU World Championship Series, while Eton’s Dorney Lake staged the Junior World Rowing Championships from 3-7 August. Elsewhere, the 2011 Weymouth and Portland International Regatta has brought elite sailors from around the world together to compete in 10 Olympic classes in Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour, which will host the sailing events during the Games next year.

All three events were being used by the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) to test crucial aspects of its Games-time operations. The events are also helping to build excitement among the general public by giving them the chance to enjoy the experience of watching world-class sport in Olympic venues.

Britain’s Alistair Brownlee triumphed in the men’s triathlon in Hyde Park and was impressed by the enthusiasm of the crowd as he crossed the finish line. The 2009 world champion is already looking forward to a similar response during the Games next year.

"It was one of the best receptions I've ever had and the whole event was a great experience," said Brownlee. "The run down the last stretch was incredible. I'm sure there'll be 10 times as many people in 2012."

The 14-day Weymouth and Portland International Regatta has seen 460 sailors descend on the Olympic venue in order to gain experience of the course ahead of London 2012. Finn competitor Pieter Jan Postma, from the Netherlands, is one of those who is pleased to have the opportunity to compete in Weymouth before the Games next year.

“It is good that we have a test event here to learn the conditions,” said Postma. “It's good to get familiar and know the surroundings.”

The Junior World Rowing Championships, at Dorney Lake near Windsor, saw almost 600 young rowing stars from 48 countries compete at the Olympic venue, giving LOCOG the chance to test important aspects of its Games-time operations, such as the sporting field of play and the results, timing and scoring systems.

“It’s incredibly exciting to see our work come to fruition and to see elite athletes competing on the lake,” said LOCOG’s Director of Sport, Debbie Jevans. “We can see how it will be in 2012. There is a view of Windsor Castle in the background, so it looks fantastic. It's one of the best rowing facilities in the world.”

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

By Tom Degun

August 11 - There are 14 applications for every available place to carry the Olympic Torch when it arrives in Britain next year to travel around the country in the lead-up to London 2012, it was revealed today.

More than 28,000 nominations have been made for the 2,012 Torchbearer places available through the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Moment to Shine programme.

The applications were all received between May 18 and June 29 this year and it will now be left to 12 selection panels held across the UK to decide on the most inspiring people to carry the to carry the Torch.

The 12 selection panels will be established over the next month and comprise of representatives from the local culture, sport, voluntary, education, youth and local Government sectors.

They will be held from October 3 until 14 this year as they judge the thousands of applicants and London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe admitted they have a tough job ahead of them.

"We are thrilled with the response we have had to the London 2012 Torchbearer nomination programme and would like to thank everyone who took the time to put friends, colleagues or family members forward for consideration for one of the 2,012 Torchbearer places on offer through the Moment to Shine campaign," said Coe (pictured with former Olympic heptathlon champion Denise Lewis).

"With the selection panels set to review an average of 14 nominations for every one available LOCOG Torchbearer place, difficult decisions will need to be taken.

"However, we should be proud so many inspiring people have been put forward to carry the Olympic Flame next summer and receive recognition for their achievements."

Individuals who received more than one nomination had one selected at random to go forward to the selection panels while thosethat did not comply with the terms and conditions of entry or were incomplete were removed from the programme.

Nominees going forward to the selection panel stage will be now emailed and invited to verify the 150 word maximum nomination story provided by their nominator earlier in the summer.

They will also have to give London 2012 their consent by September 16 this year for their story to be considered at their local selection panel.

Every nomination going forward to the selection panels will be read by two individuals who will be looking for inspirational people who have personally achieved something great and/or contribute to the local community.

The Olympic values of friendship, excellence and respect will also feature in the selection criteria and Torchbearers will be selected on the strength of their nomination story as the representatives on the selection panel will not be told the names of the nominees, London 2012 revealed.

"The Olympic Torch Relay will bring the magic of the Games to communities up and down the UK and give local heroes a once in a lifetime experience of carrying the Olympic Flame," said Sport and Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson.

"I am delighted that London 2012's Torchbearer nomination programme has received so much support and I wish all the entries good luck in the next stage of the selection process."

An average of 110 people a day will carry the Olympic Flame on its 8,000 mile journey around the UK after it arrives at Land's End on May 18 before it arrives at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford on July 27 to light the cauldron at the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony.

Exactly 90 per cent of the total 8,000 Torchbearer places are available to the public through a number of channels, including the four public nomination campaigns run by London 2012 and the three Presenting Partners of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay: Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung.

The public nomination programmes run by each of the three Presenting Partners remain open until September 2011.

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

By Duncan Mackay in London

August 9 - London 2012 today received backing from National Olympic Committee representatives attending the Chef de Missions seminar that, despite the riots that have hit the capital, they are confident that the Games will pass off safely.

The Government vowed to review security plans for next year as a third day of rioting forced the cancellation of England's football match tomorrow against the Netherlands at Wembley Stadium, which is one of the London 2012 venues and due to stage the finals of the football.

Widespread unrest across London and the inability of police to deal swiftly with last night's multiple outbreaks of violence, have prompted questions over security plans for the Olympics.

Home Secretary Theresa May said officials would "look at what is necessary" to ensure a trouble-free Olympics.

"We take the issues around the Olympics very seriously," May said.

"An awful lot of work has already gone into planning in relation to the security and public order in relation to the Olympics and we will continue to monitor that and continue to look at what is necessary and what we need."

Sport and Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson claimed that those predicting that next year's Games would be a disaster as "very, very wrong."

"We have a commitment to deliver a safe and secure Games and we will do so," Robertson said.

The decision to scrap England's football match was taken following discussions between the Football Association and the Metropolitan Police.

"It is terribly sad that a major sports event of this sort has to be cancelled in this way," FA chairman David Bernstein said.

"But we have to put safety and security matters first...I think we have done the only thing we could do."

The unprecedented decision followed the earlier postponement of League Cup matches involving West Ham United, Charlton Athletic and Crystal Palace after police advice.

The after-effects of last night's riots were clearly visible at the Olympic Park today where a plume of black smoke from the Sony warehouse in Enfield, North London, which had been looted and set alight, rose above the Velodrome and the Basketball Arena.

But there was backing for London 2012 from John Coates, the President of the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), who is a member of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) ruling Executive Board and the Coordination Commission overseeing preparations for next year's Games.

"The riots are a concern but we believe the trouble is domestic and not linked to the·Olympic Games next year," Coates said.

"LOCOG has said there will be 9,000 police on the beat each day of the·2012 Games, they are responsible for the security of the athletes of the world at Games time.

"We had some trouble on the streets during the 2004 Games in Athens and we ensured our athletes were well aware of the danger and we advised them to steer well clear of any street demonstrations, the same will apply for London should they arise".

Coates was supported by Nick Green, a double Olympic rowing gold medallist, who is Australia's Chef de Mission for London 2012.

"From an Olympics point of view, I'm very confident that come Games time they will be very safe and very secure," he said.

"The safety and security of our athletes at these Games have been the number one priority and it will continue to be.

"We're confident that come Games time LOCOG will have the appropriate security in place."

The United States, usually the most nervous of travelling teams, also claimed that they believed their safety would not be compromised at London 2012.

"For every Games we take security planning extremely serious and work very closely with the US State Department, the organisers and the local authorities to try to ensure the safety of our teams," said Patrick Sandusky, the spokesman for the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).

"We are confident in the security plans for the London Games and will continue to work very closely with LOCOG and the local authorities as we build towards the Games in 2012."

Argentina's Chef de Mission Gabriel Curuchet, was another to express confidence in London.

"I've been to six Olympic Games and what I see here is nothing related to the Olympics," he said.

"Therefore I have no concern.

"I understand some people are giving London a very bad image and this may impact on the Olympics but for me I know the work that the organisers are doing and this is not the case."

Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison, National Olympic Security Coordinator, tried to reassure visiting international officials that everything would be done to ensure that London 2012 is safe.

"Our planning for safety and security for the Games is intelligence-led and based against a number of strategic risks, remaining flexible to enable swift and efficient response to emerging threats," he said.

"Public disorder is one of those risks which we have already been planning against across the country.

"Obviously, in light of the appalling events in London over recent days, we will review our planning to ensure that any lessons are identified. But first, we must fully establish the circumstances of what has happened and at this time it is too early to say whether our planning will significantly change.

"What is absolutely clear is that we are committed to the Games being delivered in safety and security, for athletes, spectators and the wider public."

Several of Britain's top athletes also used their respective Twitter pages to share their views on the riots.

"The Riots in London are stupid and dangerous, there's other ways to speak out," wrote Luol Deng, the Chicago Bulls superstar who is Britain's top basketball player.

"Don't react in a way that you will later regret."

Double world-champion open water swimmer Keri-Anne Payne watched the footage on television in stunned disbelief.

"Watching the news this morning, horrified to see the scenes of London last night," she wrote.

"Can't believe it was the same city I was in last night!"

Cyclist Geraint Thomas, a team pursuit gold medallist from Beijing 2008, urged radical action.

"Cant believe what's happening back home!! Get the army in, round them all up and ship them to Afghanistan. Give them something to fight for."