Dow Sponsorship Criticised

The row over the sponsorship of the London Olympics by Dow Chemicals rumbles on.


India's Olympic body is to demand that the sponsorship deal is axed, because of its ties to the Bhopal disaster in 1984 (Dow purchased Union Carbide 16 years after the disaster).

Reuters quotes the Indian Olympic Association's acting president, Vijay Malhotra, who said:
 

"We are proposing to write to the IOC London Olympics that this sponsor should be out of it.

Since these games are for friendship it should not be one of the sponsors."

It is not clear what action the body would take if its request was rejected, as India has already ruled out a boycott.

Barry Gardiner MP has backed India's campaign to have Dow dropped as a sponsor. He has called for an inquiry into the tender process, that led to the company being granted the deal to sponsor a temporary wrap to decorate the Olympic stadium.


Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

CRB Checks on Torchbearers

The Home Office will be carrying out a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks on all Olympic torchbearers for next year's 2012 London Olympics.

However, according to Locog, previous convictions may not stop them from carrying the torch; Locog will make a "judgement call".

I assume those previously convicted of arson will be disqualified from carrying the torch?


Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Olympics Budget Warning

I have warned on numerous occasions on this site about the dangers of an overrun of the Olympics "budget", eg in April 2008 I wrote the following:

"The government received a damning blow to its reputation for "financial competence" (I use that phrase with heavy irony) yesterday, when the Public Accounts Committee accused it of "wishful thinking" over the "budget" (an exaggerated term for the back of an envelope calculations) prepared by those "in charge" of the London 2012 Olympics.

The Committee warned that taxpayers may well have to pay more than the current £12BN (including £2BN running costs) estimated for the games."

It seems that others are finally waking up to the dangers of an overspend on the "movable feast" of the Olympics budget.

A report criticising a number of key aspects of the organisation of Olympics (including its budget), compiled by the National Audit Office over the last year, has been published today.

The Washington Post quotes Amyas Morse, the head of the National Audit Office:

"The government is confident that there is money available to meet known risks, but, in my view, the likelihood that the games can still be funded within the existing 9.3 billion-pound public sector funding package is so finely balanced that there is a real risk more money will be needed.”

Unfortunately, the NAO has its figures wrong. It has ignored the £2BN running costs, which put the current "budget" at £12BN.

Not a great start!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Olympics Budget Broken Again

Unsurprisingly the "budget" for the London 2012 Olympics has yet again proven to be unreliable.

Taxpayers are having to contribute a further £41M to the £40M "budget" allocated to opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics.

The Olympics Minister, Hugh Robertson, unconvincingly tried to use a Gordon Brown trick of describing it as an "investment".

Why do we have to pay more?

It seems that Locog (which was meant to pay for the ceremonies) can't run its operations within budget, and that "tedious" things such as security expenditure for the games have pushed it into the red.

For reasons best known to those who are regulating and "controlling" the forthcoming games, Locog is not subject to public scrutiny because it is a private company.

Surely someone should have ensured that the company that "organises" the games (whether it was private or public) was subject to public scrutiny, given that it is spending our money?



Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Iran Olympics Boycott?

There are some rumours floating around Twitter that Iran is considering boycotting the London 2012 Olympics, as retribution for the recently announced sanctions and worsening relations.

It is not clear as to whether this particular rumour is true or not. However, the talk about Iran possibly boycotting the games is not new.

In February this year the Iranians were making nosies about boycotting the games because of their dislike of the Olympics logo:

"The National Olympic Committee of Iran has sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) complaining about the logo of 2012 London Olympic Games.

For why?

Apparently, the logo says "Zion"???!!"

In other words, the threat of an Iranian boycott is nothing more than "business as usual".

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

It's Not a Wrap!

 In August I wrote about Dow Chemicals wrapping the London Olympics stadium in some form of plastic sheet, and displaying its logo on the wrap.

"Dow, the chemical company with an "interesting" history, will be allowed to promote and display its logo on certain sections of the Olympic Stadium after winning the right to produce the £6M "wrap" that will cover the exterior of the stadium."

People have finally woken up to Dow's controversial past.

The Indian Olympic Association has announced that it will be holding a vote next month on whether or not to boycott the London Olympic Games.

The Indian government is still pursuing Dow for £1.1BN of compensation for the victims of the Bhopal disaster (Dow purchased Union Carbide 16 years after the disaster).

Pressure is mounting on Locog to abandon its deal with Dow.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Thomas Cook

 Given that Thomas Cook is the "Official Provider of Short Breaks to The Olympics", its possible demise (see "The Thomas Cook Affair") will negatively impact the London 2012 games.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Kirpans Allowed

Despite major concerns over the security of next year's Olympic Games in London, Sikhs will be allowed to carry ceremonial sheathed kirpans into the games; so as long as they are worn beneath their clothing and if they can prove that they are adhering to four other articles of faith.


Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Corruption, Football and Sport

How "surprising" to read that football, that bastion of ethics and philanthropy, has mired itself in yet another scandal, this time involving the Olympics stadium.

The Telegraph reports that a second man has been arrested in connection with police investigations over the Tottenham Hotspur bid to use the stadium after next year's Olympic games.

The arrest follows allegations that investigators working for Tottenham Hotspur illegally obtained private telephone and banking records during the stadium-bidding process.

Spurs deny this.

The arrest comes on top of reports that accountants PKF, the company hired by Tottenham to carry out investigations during the Olympic Stadium bid, have admitted passing on copies of Karren Brady’s illegally obtained telephone records to The Sunday Times.

Allegations of corruption in football and sport, who would have thought it?

I dare say the white elephant of the stadium can be used as a prison after the games, if anyone is found guilty of these allegations.


Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

The Meter's Ticking Guv!

In order that they are not left out of the Olympics' rip off bonanza next year, London cabbies are demanding that they be allowed to raise their fares by 20%.

The Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association has suggested that without the increase there may be "mass walkouts" of cabbies during the Games.

Seemingly members are "concerned" about the  increase in traffic restrictions etc during the Games.

I dare say that the Tube drivers' recent £1200 Olympics bonus settlement may well have had a bearing on this issue!

The Olympics are not about sport, but are about money.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

A Clusterfuck of Ineptitude - Olympics Airbrushes Belfast

In a remarkable clusterfuck of ineptitude, in the run up to Remembrance Day, London 2012 airbrushed HMS Belfast from an official London 2012 Olympics poster showing London's skyline and the Thames.

Apparently it was a "mistake".

Really?

How do you accidentally airbrush out a picture of the largest vessel in the national historic fleet?

London 2012 organisers have had to apologise and reprint the posters with HMS Belfast in them this time.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

The Spying Game

How interesting, it seems that a man has been arrested over claims that London 2012 executives were put under surveillance by Tottenham Hotspur FC.

Baroness Ford, Chairman of the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) told the London Assembly that all 14 OPLC board members had been spied on.

Baroness Ford told the London Assembly (as per the BBC):

"My board were put under surveillance by Tottenham Hotspur and the chairman of Tottenham Hotspur felt confident enough to say that in the Sunday Times several months ago, that all 14 members of my board were put under surveillance.

The Metropolitan Police are now conducting an investigation into that surveillance.

There has been all kinds of behaviour here that I could not have anticipated which, believe me, has not been pleasant in the last 12 months.

I'm expecting the unexpected because that's what the last 12 months has told me.

Our job now is to narrow, as far as we possibly can, the scope now for legitimate legal challenge in this next process. That is all that we can do.

If people want then to be vexatious, frivolous and vindictive or whatever they want, they will do that."


Dirty tricks involving football and sport?

Never!!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Waste!

Despite the fact that Britain is facing years of austerity, and the ongoing crisis in the Eurozone that threatens to collapse the global economy, it is "reassuring" to learn that government ministers are "investing" our taxes "wisely".

What could be a better "investment" than tickets to watch the London 2012 Olympics?

Jeremy Hunt's department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) has applied for, and has been allocated, 8,846 tickets to the London 2012 Olympics.

Isn't it funny that Hunt and his cronies managed to get their full allocation of tickets, yet many ordinary citizens who applied haven't?

Anyhoo, the cost to the taxpayer of this "investment" is £750K.

I am sure that you will all agree that this is money "well spent"!

SNORT!


Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Prats - Mole Valley District Council and LOCOG

Well done to Mole Valley district council and LOCOG for making utter of themselves.

The council and LOCOG are trying to dictate to local residents the colour schemes of their plant displays and hanging baskets.

For why?

LOCOG want a “vibrant colour palette”, and have even specified which flowers to use; because the Olympic cycle route will pass through the area during next year's games.

LOCOG, according to the council, has “tight control over how the Games will look"; as such it seems that (in their eyes) this gives them the right to dictate to people as to how they should plant their Petunias etc.

Bollocks!

My advice to the residents of Mole Valley is to tell these prats to piss off!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Commuters Told To Get Pissed

According to the Telegraph the latest suggestion from those in charge of organising next year's London Olympics is that hapless commuters who are facing crushed tube lines, buses and trains should have a drink after work in order to avoid the congestion!

ROFLOL!

Precisely how many pints will one need to consume before the Olympic crush "melts" away?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Streakers Face £20K Fines

In case people haven't yet realised it yet, the Olympics are purely about money and corporate sponsorship deals (sport is but a mere backdrop to the money deals).

The proof of how money focused the Olympics are, can be seen in the stringent rules that will be enforced during next year's London 2012 games.

An amendment to the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act 2006 aims to target unofficial, or ambush, marketing and could cover anyone who tries to use their bodies to flash an advert for a company.

This means that if a streaker were to run across the track with a logo painted on his/her body, he/she could be fined £20K.

That sounds almost like a challenge to some brave souls!


Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Terminal Six

The management of Heathrow Airport have arranged for a special terminal to operate on August 13, 2012, the day after the closing ceremony of the London Olympics.

Heathrow management expect 7% more passengers than it has ever "processed" on that specific day. As such, the new temporary terminal six will be housed in a cargo area of Heathrow and will have eight security lanes.

Stadium Deal Collapses

West Ham United's deal to take over the Olympic Stadium in Stratford has collapsed.

The stadium will remain in public ownership after the games, and be leased out to a tenant following a new tender process.

The cost of transforming it after the 2012 Games will be met by the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC).

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

An Olympic Pain in The Arse

The London 2012 Olympics are going to cause quite a degree of annoyance to those of us who have to drive/commute in and around London during the games.

It has been estimated by Transport for London (TfL) that journey times on some of London's roads could more than double during the Olympics.

There will be an extra 5.3 million visitors in London during the games.

The "good" news is that the Tube drivers have a secured a pay deal worth £50K a year to them, so no danger at all of the Tube drivers going on strike then!;)

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Contingency Tickets Delayed

London 2012 organisers have delayed releasing the final batch of 1M tickets (aside from 1.5M for football) for the Olympics until April/May 2012.

Locog had planned to release them in December. However, it seems that deciding on the final seating configurations of the Olympic venues will take longer than anticipated.

All very well, maybe. However, by the time the final batch of tickets are released the cost of accommodation and sundry items (that also need to be booked) will have risen.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Twats

My sympathies to Avril Unwin owner of Authentic Cakes in Wulfstan Way Cambridge, who has fallen foul of the money making machine that is the Olympics.

Mrs Unwin had been planning, along with other members of the British Sugarcraft Guild, an exhibition of sugar skills on the theme of the Olympics next year.

However, the International Olympic Committee have banned the use of any Olympic logos or symbols at next year's exhibition.

Mrs Unwin will instead decided to use the flags of different countries attending the Olympics for her decorations.


As noted before on this site, the Olympics are about money not sport.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Pillock

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt sis so convinced that the London 2012 Olympics will remain within his view of what the budget is (£9BN), that he intends to spend £300M of that money on something else.

On what?

Telling Londoners to leave London and go on holiday in the UK!

Aside from the fact that is is a completely absurd waste of money, Hunt is rather deluding himself about the budget:

1 The current "budget" is in fact £12BN (if you include the running costs).

2 The original budget was around £3BN (£12BN is hardly "within budget" is it?).

3 We are in a recession.

This is a totally daft idea, and a scandalous waste of money!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Tube Workers Bribed

The Olympic organisers, ever keen to present the world with the impression that London is capable of hosting the 2012 Olympics, has come up with a terrific wheeze to ensure that comrade Bob Crow and his lackeys don't spoil the party by refusing to run the Tube beyond its normal closing time of around midnight-1:00AM.

The solution?

Simple, bribe the staff!

Drivers will receive a payment of at least £500 for working during the event next year. Additionally, shifts that finish after 1.30AM will attract extra payments (totalling approximately £1800).

About 3,500 Tube drivers are covered by the agreement. LU plans to run Tubes about an hour later than normal during the Games, on all lines, with last trains leaving central London between 1.30AM and 2AM.

This is doubtless all very "jolly". However, the key issue that has been neatly swept under the carpet is this:

Why that fuck doesn't London (a major capital city) have a Tube system that runs 24/7?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

The True Legacy of The 2012 Olympics

Westfiled Stratford Centre  opened today in the deprived area of east London where it will act as the gateway to the 2012 Olympics.

It has the dubious distinction of being Europe's largest shopping centre, with over 300 shops, 70 restaurants, a 14-screen cinema, three hotels and Britain's largest casino.

Lucky Stratford!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
 
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
 
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Ticket Reallocation

I have some good news and some bad news about tickets for next year's Olympic Games.

First the good news...

A dozen London boroughs did not to take up their free ticket allocation, on the grounds that they did not want paying members of the public to be deprived of a chance to see the games.

Now the bad news..

The tickets that were not taken up have not been put back into the "pot" for purchase by the public, but have in fact been reallocated for free to politicians at Newham, Barking and Dagenham, Greenwich, Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Waltham Forest.

For those of you interested in statistics, a grand total of 14,000 tickets have been set aside for government officials while two in three public applicants failed to secure any of their ticket order.

Good isn't it?

 
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
 
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
 
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Hell On Earth

It seems that for those who normally work and live in London, the period during which next year's Olympic games will be held is going to feel like hell on earth.



There will be an estimated population influx of two million people to the capitol during the period of the games (27 June - 16 September).



Continuity Central warn that organisations should prepare themselves for disruptions due to the expected influx of journalists, athletes and tourists into the country.



It is estimated that there will be half a million extra public transport journeys in London a day. On top of this many major roads will be closed due to sporting activities and movements of people.



Paul Eskriett, Principal Security and Contingency Planning Advisor from The City of London Corporation, warned:



"It is essential that your organisation fully prepares for the event. There will be up to three hour delays on public transport, potential terrorist activity, criminal activity, public disorder and domestic extremism."



It seems that the best thing to do will be to leave town during the games.



Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Spurs Granted Judicial Review

The High Court have granted Tottenham Hotspur permission to ask for a judicial review into the awarding of ownership of the Olympic Stadium to West Ham after London 2012.



Mr Justice Collins, a High Court judge, ruled there are sufficient grounds for a review into the process by which West Ham were unanimously chosen as the preferred bidder to take over stewardship of the arena by the Olympic Park Legacy Committee (OPLC).



The hearing will take place in the High Court on October 18.



Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Stadium Decision Upheld

The BBC reports that an independent investigation by Moore Stephens has upheld the decision to award West Ham the Olympic Stadium after the 2012 Games.



The review concluded that there is no reason to re-open the bidding process.



However, irrespective of the outcome of the review, it appears that Spurs still want a judicial review and are due to present evidence at an oral hearing at the High Court on Wednesday.



Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Red Neck Olympics Threatened

I am sorry to hear that the "Redneck Olympics" in Maine, which features event such as beer-swilling, pie eating and wife-carrying, has been threatened with legal action by the US Olympic Committee.



For why?



The US Olympic Committee believes that it owns the word "Olympics".



However, as Harold Brooks (the organiser of the Red Neck Olympics) quite rightly pointed out to Fox News:



"It’s a word that was used the ancient Greeks.



This is just a bunch of rich people looking out for other rich people.



It’s sickening that if you own a lot of money, you can own everything – even a word."



As noted many times before on this site, the Olympics (not the Red Neck one) are about money not sport.



Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

The Bottom Line

Zara Dampney and Shauna Mullin, Brits h Olympic Volleyball players, have rented out their bottoms to Betfair (the bookmakers).



In exchange for an undisclosed sum, the pair will wear bikini briefs with a Quick Response (QR) code printed on the back. The code, when photographed on a smartphone, will take users to Betfair's website.



Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Olympic Greed

How "refreshing" to read that, despite the ever worsening global financial situation, the hoteliers of London intend to screw every last penny from visitors to London next year during the Olympics.

The Telegraph reports that London hotels intend to treat tourist as prostrate milch cows eg:

- A double room at the Sheraton Park Tower, in Knightsbridge, this month costs £209 a night. The price quoted for a stay in August next year is £605.

- A night at the West London, in Leicester Square, costs around £290 this August. The same room during the Games will cost just under £540.

- The Berjaya Hotel in Kensington, goes for broke and intends to increase some of its room rates by a factor of 10. Rates typically range from £89 to £199. For every day of the Olympics, the price is £999 a night.

As noted many time before on this site, the Olympics are not about sport but are in fact about money.

Given the ongoing financial turmoil, it is to be hoped that these greedy hoteliers get their fingers well and truly burned for their naked opportunism.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

It's A Wrap!

Dow, the chemical company with an "interesting" history, will be allowed to promote and display its logo on certain sections of the Olympic Stadium after winning the right to produce the £6M "wrap" that will cover the exterior of the stadium.

Seemingly once the games are over the "wrap" will be "repurposed", whatever that means in plain English!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Severe Travel Disruption

The official Olympics website is warning businesses of severe travel disruption during the games.

Quote:

"We are expecting six weeks of severe travel disruptions across the transport network, which could affect your employees, customers, contractors, visitors and suppliers."

Are the games really worth all of this disruption, given that London's transport infrastructure is already obsolete and overstretched?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Secuirty Matters

The Telegraph reports that around 8,000 students will be employed to monitor crowds and provide security at key Olympic venues by the private security firm G4S.

The students will undergo Criminal Records Bureau checks, but previous criminal convictions will “not necessarily preclude” their involvement.

The student security guards will be employed under a scheme called "Bridging the Gap", which does not require them to have a security industry authority licence when working at the Games.

A "bold" initiative!

Minor criminal convictions are not so much of an issue. However, the lack of experience of the security personnel is a major issue.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

No Escape

Seemingly there will be no escape from next year's Olympics.

As a foretaste of the wall to wall coverage during the games, the BBC intends to cover every mile of the 70 mile torch relay, live.

The Olympic torch's journey around Britain starts on May 19, and ends at the Olympic Stadium in London on July 27.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Ooh The Irony!

I am gemused to read that, despite the attempts by the authorities in London to clear the streets of the homeless in time for next year's Olympic Games, some people still understand the concept of "inclusivity".

Therefore my compliments to the thousands of fans have joined an online campaign to get a elderly tramp from Bournemouth to carry the Olympic torch.

The Mail reports that Gordon Roberts, 82, has got the support of 4,500 people who plan to nominate him as their 'inspirational member of the community'.

The question is, will he be allowed to carry the torch in London?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Going For A Bong

I am gemused to read the public spat between the upper echelons of the Olympics (past and present) over proposals to relax the punishment for athletes who get caught taking illegal drugs for recreational purposes (as opposed to taking them to improve their performance).

Lord Coe said:

"You want to be part of this project, then don't take drugs."

The trouble is Lord Coe has forgotten (or chooses to ignore) that coffee, fags and booze are also drugs. Whilst they are perfectly legal, they still are drugs (some of which, I am sure, our top class athletes do use on occasions).

The issue is not the drugs per se, by society's hypocritical attitude to "legal" and "illegal" drugs.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

The True Legacy of The Games

The Brighton Argus reports that, in order that London is made to look all shiny and pristine for next year's Olympics, homeless people are being "cleansed" from the streets of London and are now heading to Brighton and Hove.

Charities claim that homeless people are being "harassed" (under the guise of "Operation Poncho", a joint council/police initiative) in order to meet the Olympic target of zero homelessness on the streets of London in 2012.

Moving a problem elsewhere is not a solution, merely a cosmetic enhancement.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

London's Obsolete Transport System

In 2004 the IOC very accurately described London's transport system as "obsolete".

In theory, London 2012 is meant to be the "public transport games".

There is of course a wide gap between aspirations and reality. London's transport infrastructure suffers from a lack of investment and capacity. Hence the services are inadequate and overcrowded.

Transport for London (TfL) are aware of many of the problems, eg they have warned that it may take an hour to get on a train at St Pancras station (where the Javelin train will depart for Stratford).

TfL's solution?

They are mounting a campaign to ask people to commute less (they need a 30% fall in commuter numbers)!

Sadly it seems that the word "obsolete" applies not only to the infrastructure and capital equipment, but also to the thinking within TfL.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

The Real Legacy of The Games

McDonald's plans to build the world's largest McDonald's at the London Olympics Games site in Stratford.

The two storey 3,000 sq metre leviathan will seat up to 1,500 people, and will be one of the four McDonald's restaurants built in and near the Olympics park.

Now that's the true "legacy" of the games.

Makes you proud to be British doesn't it?!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Tourism To Fall

Despite the recent hype from Visa (predicting an alleged financial benefit to the economy from the 2012 Olympics), more realistic views are that the economy will take a negative hit as tourism will in fact fall.

The Independent reports that London & Partners (the official agency behind promoting tourism for London) has admitted that the 2012 Olympic Games could lead to a fall in visitors to London 2012.

For why?

People do not want to come to a city with over-crowded transport, a lack of/high prices for hotel rooms, and which resembles a building site.

Who blames them for not wanting to come?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Tickets Charged Twice

Around 700 people were charged twice for their Olympic 2012 tickets. The problem hit people who were buying tickets in the first phase of the second-chance sale.

Ticketmaster, who are managing the Olympic ticket system, described the glitch as a “processing error” and are apologising to everyone who has been affected and are refunding their money.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Don't Believe The Hype

The Guardian reports that a new economic study of the British economy predicts that consumer spending will rise by £750M during London's Olympic Games in 2012, and that there will be a sustained boost to the economy over the next 4 years of £5.1BN.

Hoozah!

Well, before you pop the champagne corks, you may care to bear in the mind the following:

1 The "economic study" was published by Visa (one of the main sponsors of the event, who have a vested interests in people maxing out their credit cards).

2 During the the Beijing Games overseas visitors spent a mere £93M during the whole of the games.

£ The games are "budgeted" to cost around £12BN (including £2BN running costs).

Don't believe the hype!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Coe Appeals For Tickets

Lord Coe has made an appeal has been made for Olympics grandees to return unwanted tickets so that UK residents can buy them.

Fat chance!

Why give away so many in the first place then?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

The Establishment Weighs In

I see that the establishment is weighing in to the furore over the allegations about "secret" cash payments made to a member of the Olympic Park legacy Committee by West Ham.

The establishment doesn't want the row to delay plans for the stadium

Well, of course it doesn't!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Another Court Case

The Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) has revealed that it has suspended Dionne Knight, the OPLC's director of corporate services, who has been undertaking paid consultancy work for West Ham United.

Why does this matter?

It matters because West Ham were selected by OPLC to have the stadium after the games, against competition from Tottenham Hotspur.

Ironically, according to the Telegraph, Knight also previously worked for Newham Council, West Ham's partner in the stadium bid.

West Ham are not best pleased with the media slant and insinuations, and have launched legal action against Tottenham Hotspur and the Sunday Times over claims of the "secret" payments.

The concept of "secret cash payments" relating to football is hardly new, if FIFA's soiled reputation is anything to go by. However, if West Ham have been unfairly maligned they are right fight for their reputation. That being said, they should bear in mind that it is not just the "legal susbtsance" of these payments but how they look to everyone else that have done the damage.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Spurs Fight On

The BBC reports that, despite having their appeal rejected last week, Tottenham will return to the High Court for an oral hearing for a judicial review of the decision to award the Olympic Stadium to West Ham.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

The Olympic Ticket Farce

The Independent reports that that more than 15,000 people, who missed out on the original London 2012 ticket ballot last month, have failed for a second time to secure a ticket after taking part in the second round first-come first-served ticket sale.

There will be a third "opportunity" to buy tickets in December.

However, why go through the stress and expense of trying to buy tickets?

Why not simply watch it in comfort in front of the TV?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

La Grande Olympic Ticket Farce

Unsurprisingly, the second round UK Olympic ticket sale has again failed to live up to the hype spewed forth by Locog.

Despite being heralded as an opportunity for British sporting fans to buy tickets, it transpires that sporting fans from the EU have also been snapping up tickets (even though their countries had already been allocated tickets).

For why?

EU free trade rules prohibit EU citizens from being excluded.

Figures from the first round ballot of tickets show that EU citizens managed to obtain 150,000 tickets. Figures are not yet available for the second round.

It's a funny old world where British fans/taxpayers (who are subsidising this event) are treated so shabbily by Locog.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Second Chance Ticket Shambles

Those who missed out on tickets for the Olympics the first time round now have a second chance (as from 6am this morning) to buy some of the remaining tickets.

However, as with all things IT Olympic there appear to be some glitches in the processing of payments etc. Some hapless purchasers have reported that their payment attempts were bounced by the system.

The word "shambles" is being used by many.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Greed - Locog Ban 2012

The Isle of Wight County Press reports that Locog had banned Julie Benson from using the year "2012" in the logo of her show, The Great Exhibition 2012 (designed to represent the best in the country in arts, culture, food and sport).

For why?

Locog claimed that 2012 "widely refers" to next year's Olympics, and if Ms Benson used the date it would interfere with its ability to raise funds from sponsors.

Ker Farking Ching!

Unsurprisingly Ms Benson was unimpressed with Locog's greed, given that she has been working on the exhibition plan for 12 years (long before Britain won the rights to host the games).

There is now some good news for Ms Benson, following a public outcry over Locog's greed they have backed down and have now allowed her to use "2012".

As I have stated many times, the Olympics is not about sport but about money.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Quel Dommage!

Those of you who experienced problems accessing the London 2012 UK ticket site, in the last hours before the deadline for applications, may sympathise with hopeful ticket purchasers in France who cannot access the French Olympic Committee's official reselling agent's Eventour2012 site.

The site crashed at the very moment it first opened today at 8am BST.

Needless to say, the Brits are being blamed for the first day crash. It seems, according to the Telegraph, that there was such a rush of British expats to pre register that the French site could not cope and fell over.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

The Golden Cheesegrater

Congratulations to London 2012 organisers, who have unveiled the Golden Olympic torch that will be used to carry the Olympic flame around Britain next year in the run up to the 2012 Olympics.

Aside from the fact that (as it is studded with holes) it looks like a giant cheese grater, it also apparently fails wrt its green credentials.

Seemingly organisers had led people to believe that the torch would be the first low carbon one.

Guess what?

They reneged on their promise, it isn't!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?

How "nice" to read that Septic Bladder and the "elite" of FIFA will be staying at five star hotels, and enjoy chauffeured vehicles and best seats at the blue riband events during the 2012 London Olympics.

Septic Bladder will have a free chauffeur driven car, on call for 24 hours a day, which will use the special Olympic lanes in London. Bladder's family members will be given special passes that entitles them to all events, and they will be able to stay at the Hilton Hotel on Park Lane.

The Olympics is not about sport, but about money and junkets; FIFA will feel right at home here!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

"Value For Money" Olympics Tickets

In the event that you are one of the million people who unsuccessfully applied for tickets from Locog, for the 2012 Olympics, do not despair.

You can still by tickets for prime events at the games.

For example, in the event that you want to attend the 100m finals you can buy tickets (minimum of 10) for a corporate hospitality package costing a "mere" £270K for 10.

Value for money by anyone's standards!

As Locog said, they wanted the ticketing application process to be as fair as possible!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Overnighters

During the London 2012 Olympics rules relating to deliveries to businesses and shops will be relaxed, and overnight deliveries will be permitted.

Despite the fact that the ban on overnight deliveries is in place in order to prevent residents being disturbed, the Olympics takes priority as roads will need to be kept clear during the day so that they can be used by athletes and Olympic VIPs.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Sebastian Coe Evades A Ticket Question

Sebastian Coe has evaded a question posed to him by the Telegraph about the shambolic ticketing process.

10. How much interest is Locog earning on the ticket revenue?

A. Any income received from ticket sales forms part of Locog's £2billion budget to stage the Games. We constantly balance our income with our costs.

In the event anyone within Locog actually knows the answer to this, and has the guts to answer it, please let me know.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

250,000 Miss Out On Olympic Tickets

Those of you who applied for tickets for the London 2012 Olympics, but who failed to get any (estimated by the Telegraph at being around 250,000) may take some comfort in the fact that neither Boris Johnson (Mayor of London) nor Jeremy Hunt, the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport appear to have been allocated any either.

However, it is quite likely that these two gentlemen will be able to attend the games; as the government has applied for 9,000 tickets (for VIPs and civil servants) and local authorities have also been allowed to buy tickets (outwith the ballot, using taxpayers' money)

Did Locog not tell these queue jumpers that the daft ticket ballot procedure that they designed was meant to be fair?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Olympic Ticket Debit Deadline

Allegedly, according to Locog, today is the deadline day (a movable feast if ever ther was one!) for when the "vast majority" of successful Olympic ticket applicants will have their accounts debited.

The Telegraph reports that most applicants appear to have received between 10%-20% of what they applied for.

However, the successful applicants (despite being charged now) will not be told until next month what they have got.

The "lottery nature" of the allocation process has effectively forced fans to bid for more than they actually want, in order to increase their chances of being successful. All very well if you have the funds to gamble in this manner, not so easy for those fans who are less well off.

Was it not Locog who claimed that they wanted the ticket purchasing process to be fair?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

The Ongoing Olympic Ticket Farce - Deadlines Change

I see that Locog have subtly shifted the deadline for collecting money from the bank accounts of those deemed worthy to be allocated a ticket for the 2012 Olympics.

Locog now claim that they started taking cash for tickets on Wednesday, and hope to have collected the vast majority of funds within a week.

Locog claim that the process should be completed by June 10.

Wednesday was originally the deadline for having collected the majority of the money owed.

Good isn't it?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Train and Tube Service Improved For Games

The Evening Standard claims that London's tube and train services will be improved to cope with the extra demand during next year's Olympics.

Allegedly, according to the Olympics hype, more than 2,000 extra services will run during the Games in late July and early August 2012, and more than 1,500 extra services will be laid on during the Paralympics in late August and early September.

There will be train departures from London as late as 1.30am, whilst some tube services will leave central London as late as 2am.

Network Rail has suspended all disruptive engineering work on rail routes serving Olympic venues from the end of June to early September 2012. There will also be no weekend closures on London Underground.

All very nice, if this actually happens.

However, given that the transport system could do with improvements such as this irrespective of the Olympics, why are these improvements not made permanent?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

The Ongoing Olympic Ticket Farce - Midnight Deadline

Locog have promised to have charged 60% of the successful Olympic ticket applicants by today (Wednesday) midnight.

According to the Guardian, Locog still claim that their "fluid" deadline stands; despite the fact there is little evidence that many people have seen money moved from their accounts.

Lord Coe admits that the ticketing system is not perfect, no kidding!?

However, he claims that Locog were right not to publicise the fact that British citizens could have bought tickets for the games (on a first come, first served basis) from foreign websites.

For why?

Locog were protecting the applicants from scammers.

Hmmm...how very noble of them!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

The Ongoing Olympic Ticket Farce

The London 2012 organising committee has promised that 60% of the monies owed by successful British Olympic ticket applicants will have been debited by tomorrow (Wednesday).

However, the BBC has yet to come across a single applicant who has had a card debited.

Meanwhile sites that are selling tickets to European citizens (BTW, Britain is part of Europe) have been inundated, eg the Sportsworld website states:

"Please Note: We are currently reviewing existing ticket orders and as a result there are no London 2012 Olympic Games tickets available until further notice."

It would appear that had British ticket applicants known about legitimate (be warned there are scam sites popping up like mushrooms) sites selling tickets (that confirm whether or not an application is successful immediately) they would have used them, rather than submitting themselves to the inconvenience and financial risk of Locog's incredibly daft and cumbersome process.

In the unlikely event that anyone has actually had some money debited by Locog, please feel free to drop me a line.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Olympic Ticket Farce Continues

Despite the fact that the 1.8 million British citizens who applied for roughly 20 million Olympic tickets have yet to know if they have been successful, those who live abroad are happily buying tickets for next year's games without any problems or delays.

How is this possible?

The Telegraph reports that non UK websites are offering almost a million tickets for specific events at face value.

The tickets have been passed to authorised resellers by more than 200 Olympic committees around the world.

Well done Locog!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Money Up Front

The London organising committee (Locog) continues to defend its ticket allocation and payment process (described by Boris Johnson as "a bit peculiar").

It has begun to deduct money from applicants' bank accounts. However, it may be as late as 24 June before those charged know what tickets they have been allocated.

Why do it in this manner?

Locog have provided the answer to the Telegraph:

"It is really important..is our ability to nail our revenues from tickets."

As noted before on this site, the Olympics are about money not sport.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

The Legacy of Failure

In 2007 I wrote the following:

"The London ODA continues to heap embarrassment and opprobrium upon itself, not content with allowing the budget to run out of control and not even being able to set a firm price for the stadium, they have now managed to attract derision and scorn for the lousy design of the 2012 London Olympics stadium.

The design was revealed yesterday, with all the usual hype and pr spin usually reserved for a third world dictatorship.

The result?

A very predictable damp squib.

A boring oval shaped stadium that has no defining features of beauty or originality, and worse it will have to down size from a capacity of 80,000 during the games to 25,000 afterwards.

Why?

Simple, there is no need for a stadium in that part of London. At best it will used, maybe, by a football club."

Today the Telegraph states that "the London Olympic board was warned by its own advisers more than three years ago that a Premier League football club would be incompatible with athletics if a permanent track was retained in the main stadium".

In other words, the "legacy" of athletics stadium and football stadium suits no one.

However, there is some light at the end of the tunnel. The fact that West Ham have been relegated from the Premiership, means that they no longer fit the criteria of a "premier League club" as defined by the report.

Problem solved!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

West Ham Committed

It seems that there are some cynics who doubt West Ham's ability/willingness to takeover the Olympic stadium after the 2012 games.

They cite West Ham's fragile finances and its relegation from the Premier League.

However, West Ham claim to remain committed.

The Telegraph states that whatever the impact of demotion on the club's finances, it will not changes plans to make the £486M stadium their new home after the London 2012 Games.

"We remain totally committed to it. Our target is to move there in three football seasons time and we would hope that we would return to the Premier League as soon as possible."

No problem then.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Day of Reckoning

Today is the day of reckoning for the 1.8 million people who applied for 20 million tickets for the 2012 Olympics.

Money will start to be withdrawn from the accounts of those who have been allocated tickets today.

However, owing to the rather flawed ticket purchasing process, Logoc won't inform the buyers that money has been taken.

Some people may well be in for a financial shock in the coming days, if they were foolish enough to order more tickets than they could afford to pay for.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Spurs Fights On

In February West Ham won the approval of the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) for taking over the Olympic stadium after the 2012 games.

However, Tottenham Hotspur their rivals for the stadium were not happy and last month launched an application for a judicial review into Newham Council's role in arranging a £40M loan to finance West Ham's move to the stadium.

The Telegraph reports that Spurs have taken further action and have asked the High Court to start a separate judicial review into the roles of several other key parties involved in awarding West Ham the stadium.

A Tottenham statement read:

"The club has today sought permission from the High Court to bring a claim against the Olympic Park Legacy Company Limited, the Mayor of London, the Minister for Sport and the Olympics and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for judicial review of a series of decisions made by them to appoint a joint bid by the London Borough of Newham and West Ham United Football Club as preferred bidder in a competition for the lease of the Olympic Stadium.

As previously reported, the club continues to hold discussions with both local and national government bodies in order to seek to agree a feasible stadium solution."

Sour grapes, or is this equivalent to the FIFA scandal now developing?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Ticketing Cock Up

Owing to the complexity of the ticket allocation process (a process reviewed and approved of by Locog), Locog have been forced to delay debiting the accounts of successful ticket applicant from May 10 to May 16 at the earliest.

This delay leaves the 1.8 million ticket applicants in limbo for at least another week.

Well done lads!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

The Olympic Bribe

In spite of, or probably because of, the Rail Maritime and Transport union's looming six walkouts that will cripple London's Tube system in the coming weeks; it seems that the government is set to bribe the RMT not to strike during the Olympics next year.

Media reports indicate that the government is preparing to offer Tube workers pay rises, designed to be large enough to "persuade" the RMT not to strike during the games.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Style Over Substance

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has managed to dig itself into a hole, over its dress code for women badminton players in the London 2012 Olympics.

It has ruled that women players must wear dresses or skirts, irrespective of whether they wear shorts/trousers underneath.

For why?

The Telegraph quotes Paisan Rangsikitpho, the BWF deputy president, who said that there was no sexism involved in the decision but that the federation wanted to differentiate the women's game.

"We need to be able to able to differentiate the women's game and the ruling is part of a larger campaign to enhance the presentation profile of the sport.

This is to help attract a wider target group amongst both younger and older people, and amongst both women and men, where an aesthetic and stylish presentation of the players is certainly an important factor."

Surely people can tell the difference between male and female badminton players, irrespective of whether they are in shorts, skirts, dresses or trousers?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

The Olympic Debt

Moneywise reports that approximately 1.8 million people have applied for an estimated 20 million London 2012 Olympics tickets, with many people possibly booking more tickets than they can afford.

The average ticket application apparently exceeds 10 per person and, with an average ticket price of between £50 and £200, Moneywise predict that applicants are set to receive bills of hundreds or even thousands of pounds in the next few weeks.

Given that reselling on the open market is illegal, the ticket applicants faced with more tickets than they need can either wait to sell them on next year through an official re-selling platform, or sell them to family and friends (not on the open market).

Maybe it would have been easier and less expensive for Olympics fans simply to watch the Olympics on TV from the comfort of their own homes?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

20 Million Ticket Registrations

Approximately 20 million ticket applications have been registered by 1.8 million people for the 6.6 million tickets available for the London 2012 Olympics.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Ticket Website Crashes

The London Olympics 2012 ticket website slowed to a snail's pace and crashed in the final hours running up to Tuesday's deadline for ticket orders.

Locog extended the deadline to 1am this morning (61 minutes beyond the original 11.59pm deadline) as the site was overwhelmed by millions of last minute applications.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

BOA Backs Down

After coming under overwhelming pressure from the Olympic family, the BOA has agreed to withdraw a legal challenge that has overshadowed Games preparations.



The BOA started the dispute when it challenged the way any surplus from the Olympics will be accounted for in the hope that it could secure a larger dividend from the Games.



Last night it agreed to withdraw an action lodged at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in exchange for an improved package of support from Locog and Olympic sponsors.



The deal does not include any cash support from Locog and largely endorses existing contractual agreements however, indicating that the BOA has given most ground to save face after an acrimonious and embarrassing dispute.



Questions will now be asked of the BOA leadership of chairman Lord Moynihan and chief executive Andy Hunt who pressed ahead with the dispute despite the opposition of the International Olympic committee and the Government. Both will be permitted to resume attending Locog board meetings having been barred for the duration of the dispute.



Related Articles

BOA ends financial dispute

19 Apr 2011

BOA suspends legal action

06 Apr 2011

Coe steps up dispute with BOA

02 Apr 2011

BOA digs in for potential legal battle

23 Mar 2011

BOA begins legal fight to keep 2012 profits

10 Mar 2011

The BOA had argued that its share of any surplus should be calculated without including the cost of the Paralympics in the total Olympic budget, a move that would have given it a larger share of any profit.



It was also demanding that a £5m ‘bonus’, based on Locog meeting certain sponsorship targets and agreed by the previous BOA leadership, should be paid now rather than after the Games. Locog and the IOC rejected that argument.



Despite an emphatic ruling from the IOC that the original deal was legally sound, BOA chairman Lord Moynihan escalated the case to CAS, arguing that it was a matter of supreme importance to the future of British sport. Locog chairman Lord Sebastian Coe countered that the BOA had “mutated” London’s vision of a united Olympic and Paralympics.



In exchange for abandoning its case at CAS, the BOA has accepted a package of measures including access to additional tickets that it can sell to raise funding, and assistance with marketing.



Locog has also confirmed that the BOA will have first call on any surplus from the games to meet the £5m bonus.



In a joint statement issued this morning the BOA and Locog announced that the settlement included:



– Confirmation that monies due to the BOA and the British Paralympic Association (BPA) after the 2012 Games will continue to be prioritised and delivered should Locog’s Final Audited Statutory Accounts show a sufficient surplus.



– Confirmation that once any other financial obligations are met, any remaining surplus resulting from the financial results of both Games will be distributed on the basis of 60 per cent for the benefit of sport in the UK, 20 per cent to the IOC and 20 per cent to the BOA.



– Locog will proactively support the BOA’s ongoing efforts to secure corporate sponsors and other commercial partners for Team GB for the 2013-2016 Quadrennial.



– Locog will support the BOA’s plans for the marketing and sale of two items of iconic Team GB merchandise through its official retail outlets and in conjunction with the Torch Relay. Further, Locog has offered to waive its royalty fee on these items so that the proceeds are designated exclusively for Team GB/BOA.



– BOA will have access (subject to availability and not before 31 July 2011) to purchase additional Olympic Games tickets, which will be designated for two purposes: 1) for use with the Team 2012 Appeal, 2) for British Olympians who competed in previous Games.



– Locog has also agreed to increase support for Team GB operational planning prior to, during and immediately after the Olympic Games including access to venues contracted to Locog between the Olympic and Paralympic Games, subject to agreements from other contracted parties.



– To provide the BOA with the opportunity to build upon the successful Get Set Olympic Educational Programme, which is now in more than 16,500 schools across the UK, Locog and the BOA will work together to develop a detailed business plan to expand the impact and reach of the programme as part of the London 2012 legacy and to attract future commercial support.





Hunt said in the statement: “We appreciate the spirit of partnership and co-operation that Locog brought to our discussions” but in truth the BOA’s initial position prompted the most rancorous episode since London was awarded the Games.



The terms on which the BOA have settled appear to endorse the view that the BOA’s approach was motivated by concerns over its finances, which have been under pressure because of increased staff costs and an expansion program that has had mixed results.



The BOA has had to sell assets including its ticket rights for the next four Olympics to balance its books and the proceeds from the sale of its former headquarters has also been used to clear operating losses. Hunt has admitted it faces a challenge in funding the British team next year.



With the abandoning of the surplus debate Lord Moynihan and the chief executive will now face questions over the wisdom of instigating a dispute that, whatever the financial benefits, has cost the BOA’s reputation dear



Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com

www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"