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

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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

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French Farce

For some bizarre reason our lords and masters have agreed that the 2012 Olympics will be conducted in French, with English being deemed as the "second language".

It seems that French is the "mother tongue" of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), given that the Greeks invented the games shouldn't Greek be the language of choice?

Anyhoo, be that as it may, French takes precedence at medal giving and all other Olympic ceremonies. "Billboards and pageantry" must also be in French as well as English.

In order to ensure that the host country is completely humiliated, the IOC also demands that 40,000 (yes, 40,000!) hotel rooms be made available for IOC members and assorted hangers on.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Utter Bollocks!

The taxpayer funded national tourism agency VisitBritain has come up with advice, in the from of a guide, on how to interact with those travelling to the UK in the run up to the 2012 Olympics.

Included in this nonsense are helpful gems, such as, not mentioning to Mexicans their nation's 1840s' war with the US.

What utter bollocks, and what a spectacular waste of money!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Legacy Action Plan Delayed

Regeneration and Renewal reports that the publication of the Olympic legacy action plan, setting out how a goal to narrow the gap between east London and the rest of the capital on seven measures by 2030 will be met, has been delayed.

Seemingly "the current financial climate" is the excuse for the delay.

I wonder how often that will be used as an excuse for other delays, in the run up to the 2012 games?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Party Poopers

Chris Allison, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner, has warned that last minute events in 2012 to celebrate the Olympics could be "dangerous".

Mr Allison is heading the Met's 2012 security planning and preparations, and told the London Assembly's Health and Public Services Committee last week:

"People have got to understand that 2012 will be a very different year.

This is why it is important for the Greater London Authority to get people to sign up to say they are not going to do something last-minute because that could be dangerous.

They (event organisers) need to see that there will be a challenge for us in 2012 and to self-regulate."

I can't see this working at all.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Piss and Wind

As with all plans of mice, men and the ODA things do rather tend to fall apart when confronted with reality.

Such fate befell the grandiose plans of the ODA to construct a 120M wind turbine at the North end of the Olympic park, which was meant to supply 20% of the Olympic park's energy during the games.

David Higgins, CEO of the Olympic Delivery Authority, confessed to defeat the other day stating that the scheme was "no longer feasible".

Seemingly new health and safety measures had meant the original design was no longer viable, and the preferred bidder had pulled out.

No other contractors had come forward.

Another Olympic dream bites the dust!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Costs Rise

Despite promises of a £27M cut in the £12BN (including £2BN running costs) Olympics "budget", USA Today reports that costs for the London 2012 games have in fact risen:

"In its latest quarterly report on the Olympic budget, the government cites a $7.2 million (approx £4.5M) increase in the projected cost. The potential increase is forecast in transportation and infrastructure."

Budgetary control does not seem to be the Olympics organisers strongest point.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Appalling Design

Sir Terence Conran, a man with "some expertise" when it comes to design, has weighed into the furore over the London Olympics mascots (one of who resembles Sonic The Hedgehog wielding a knife).

His verdict?

In a letter to The Times he said:

"Appalling...symbols of national mediocrity".

Her then went on to compare them to that other "design triumph", the Millennium Dome exhibition.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Anti Competitive

The organisers of the London 2012 Olympics have been accused of being anti competitive, as a result of their decision to ban all payments by credit cards except for Visa.

No other cards will be accepted to buy tickets, merchandise or even food and drinks.

Visa, according to The Sun, have paid £61M in sponsorships fees; part of which gives them the right to exclusivity.

Whilst it may seem ironic that a sporting competition bans competition, it should be remembered that the Olympics are not about sport but money!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Tent City

Sir John Madejski, Reading Festival organiser Melvyn Benn and Andrew Cumpsty a Reading councillor are proposing plans to create a "tent city" in the Reading area during the 2012 London Olympics.

They claim that people who may not be able to get to Olympic events could be attracted to the town if giants screens were installed at the camping site.

This is a good idea for the people of Reading, for why?

So much for the Olympic's Legacy!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Ticket Issues II

Shamed by pressure from the London Assembly and general negative publicity, Locog has announced that the British public will have access to 300,000 extra tickets for the London Olympic Games in 2012.

This increase brings the total number of tickets available to eight million.

There will be a ballot in spring 2011 to allocate 75% of the tickets.

However, prices will not be revealed until this autumn.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Tickets

Locog has now launched www.tickets.london2012.com which enables UK and EU residents, interested in buying tickets for the London 2012 Games, to register their interest.

Tickets will actually go on sale next year.

The price of the tickets still remains a mystery. The bid process had promised some tickets at less than £30. However, Locog have indicated that this price may be too low in order for it to meet a target revenue of £441M.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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We're Backing China II

Olympics pin badges, depicting a landmark building in each of London's 32 boroughs and the City of London, will soon be on sale across central London.

Hoorah!

Those who "rush" to buy these badges will be happy to know that their monetary contribution will go in part to support the Chinese economy (the hosts of the 2008 Olympics).

As I recently noted, the badges are made in China.

I dare say that in 2016 the host nation will employ a British manufacturer to make their pin badges.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Nimbyism

The Telegraph reports that the residents living in the vicinity of the Royal Albert Hall are up in arms that the venue is re-applying for a sporting licence (in time for the Olympics), that will include wrestling and boxing.

The new license will also pave the way for the Hall to be used as a high-profile venue at the London Olympics in 2012.

The fact that in the past boxing matches etc were held at the Albert Hall does not cut any ice with the residents (who don't go to such "pleb" events).

Yasmin Doctor, one of the residents leading opposition from the Albert Hall Mansions block, said:

"You learn to put up with a certain amount of disruption living here, but the type of people attending boxing and wrestling matches aren't going to be your average Prom goer...."

Says it all doesn't it?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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LOCOG A Study In Perversity

The Telegraph reports that over 1,500 formal objections have been lodged with Greenwich Borough Council against LOCOG's planning application to use Greenwich Park for 2012 equestrian events.

Amongst the objections is one from ICOMOS-UK whose parent body, the International Council of Monuments and Sites, is advisor to UNESCO who designated Greenwich a World Heritage Site in 1997.

ICOMOS-UK believe that the equestrian Olympics will deter tourists, and that significant damage could be caused by equine and spectator infrastructure.

LOCOG insist that Greenwich is the only option as there is no "fall back" venue. Yet, perversely, LOCOG's own environmental statement shows that Windsor scores higher than Greenwich Park on facilities and the ability to host the contest.

Do LOCOG actually know what it is doing?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Olympics U Turn

Sportsbeat claim that "an official" has told them that the hapless Olympics Minister, Tessa Jowell, is now willing to allow West Ham to discuss moving into the Olympics stadium after the Games.

They quote the unnamed official:

"I was at meetings three or four years ago with the minister and Ken Livingstone, when he was Mayor of London, and they did not want to have a football club in there.

This is a significant U-turn."

Now here's the funny thing, if West Ham do move in they may well rebrand themselves as West Ham Olympic.

What about the "brand fascists" working for Locog et al, who zealously guard the Olympics brand by stomping on any person/small business who dares to mention "Olympics", "2012", "London" etc in their publicity?

Oh well, given that the organisers are desperate for someone to use the stadium afterwards, I am sure the "brand fascists" will be told to remove their jackboots on this occasion.

It's the money, not the sport, that matters!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Plans Scuppered For Olympics Super Mosque

Newham Council and Olympics organisers have breathed a collective sigh of relief, as plans to build Britain's biggest mosque in East London have collapsed.

An Islamic missionary group, Tablighi Jamaat, wanted to build the so called "super mosque" (capable of accommodating 12,000 worshippers) near to the Olympic site.

They have been operating an illegal temporary mosque at Abbey Mills, just South of the London 2012 Olympics site in Stratford, and now have a week to leave the site.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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The Olympics Stormtroopers

Baroness Valentine, CEO of London First, has put the boot into Locog by referring to them as "stormtroopers" wrt the zealousness with which they protect the Olympic brand and its associated names eg "2012", "London" etc.

Baroness Valentine says that small companies were being targeted by aggressive "brand police", and asked for Locog to show more leniency.

Lady Valentine said:

"Even mentioning London and 2012 in the same sentence can result in a shot across the bows from the brand police of Lord Coe.

We should be building excitement.

My worry is that the reputation earned by Locog's stormtroopers threatens to undermine the potential for London."

Always remember, the Olympics is about money not sport!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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

£40M Saved

In a rare display of financial acumen, the London Olympics organisers have come up with a way to save £40M

They will use Wembley Arena as the venue for badminton and rhythmic gymnastics at the London 2012 Olympics.

This means that a temporary £40M venue will not need to be built.

Who the hell thought up spending £40M on a temporary venue anyway?

I wonder how much more could be saved if people actually applied some financial commonsense?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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