Watch London Olympics 2012 Live Streaming Online Summer Olympics July 27 From NBC

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The time the world has been waiting for this summer has nearly arrived, as the London Olympics Opening Ceremony 2012 schedule begins at 9 p.m. London time (3 p.m. Central Time) on Friday. U.S. viewers who want to see the event live are out of luck — they’ll have to wait until NBC’s tape-delayed coverage airs Friday evening.

The good news, however, is that NBC is live streaming the rest of the Olympics. Those who want to see events on live stream can visit here to watch live streaming online at www.nbcolympics.com.

 

“We are live streaming every sporting event, all 32 sports and 302 medals,” said Gary Zenkel, president of NBC Olympics, according to the Wall Street Journal. “It was never our intent to live stream the Opening Ceremony or Closing Ceremony.”

But there’s a trick to watching the live stream online: It’s free, but you will need to sign up before you can watch the feed. To do so, it will require having an account with a TV provider that includes MSNBC and CNBC. You will need a user ID and password to log on.

As for watching the opening ceremony, NBC will kick off coverage at 6:30 p.m. Central Time Friday. IOC executive director Gilbert Felli has said the opening ceremony should last no more than three hours.

Those who want live glimpses of the opening ceremonies before NBC’s tape-delayed coverage will have to turn to Twitter’s page that will pull in tweets from athletes, their families and fans during the opening ceremony. The Twitter page will be live during the opening ceremony, according to the Wall Street Journal, with photos and reactions from inside London’s Olympic Stadium.

The ceremony will have a cast and crew of 10,000. It will be held at the 80,000-capacity stadium in east London and be watched by a global television audience expected at 1 billion.

Already, speculation abounds as to what mega-celebrities will appear at the opening ceremonies.

What’s known is that British director Danny Boyle, known for such classic films such as “Trainspotting” and “Slumdog Millionaire,” will join fellow acclaimed director Stephen Daldry to oversee the opening ceremonies.

The ceremonies have been named “Isle of Wonder,” inspired by William Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest.” The world’s largest harmonically tuned bell will sound to start the festivities. Among the rumors are that former Beatle Paul McCartney will be on hand to close at the ceremonies, while others suggest that Muhammad Ali will be at the opening ceremony.

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Posted in: London 2012,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Olympic,London 2012 Olympic Coins,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Stadium,London 2012 Tickets

London 2012 Olympics: Frankie Fredericks urges Team GB athletes to boycott Games if Dwain Chambers cleared

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will deliver a ruling next week after the British Olympic Association challenged the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) for declaring the ban "non-compliant".

Although the BOA have had no indication from the court, senior officials have confirmed they are preparing for defeat. It means that Chambers and cyclist David Millar, who have both previously served bans for doping, now look set to be part of Team GB for the Olympics.

"I really respect the bylaws of the BOA. They have taken a stand to say we don't want a cheat. For the athletes to vote for that bylaw is something incredible," said Fredericks, now an International Olympic Committee member.

"It would be nice if the athletes can come out and say: 'OK even if CAS decides, Dwain Chambers and (cyclist) David Millar go to the Olympic Games, then we're not going to go. This is our bylaw. These are the values that we believe in.'

"Then the country can decide: either we have these two cheats or we have athletes who are clean.

"This is where the British athletes will be challenged - because they will have to make principled decisions.

"This is going to be an Olympic Games watched by many youths and we don't want these cheats to have an opportunity to tarnish them."

Fredericks's comments to the Daily Mail came after Sir Chris Hoy led expressions of disappointment after learning that the BOA are resigned to losing a court battle to keep their lifetime ban for drugs cheats.

Hoy, the four-times Olympic cycling champion, said: "It will be sad if we have to fall in line with the rest of the world.

"I don't see anything wrong with having more stringent rules. I think it should be the rest of the world that's falling in line with our rules."

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Posted in: London 2012,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Olympic,London 2012 Olympic Coins,London 2012 Olympic Games,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Olympics Tickets,London 2012 Stadium

London 2012 Olympics: officials to be questioned by Parliament over collapse of stadium deal

The news came on the day that the West Ham deal collapsed, leaving a black hole of £100 million that may have to be funded by the taxpayer.

Andrew Altman, chief executive of the Olympic Park Legacy Company responsible for negotiations with West Ham, is among the officials who will be called before the influential Public Accounts Committee on Dec 14.

Details of the inquiry can be disclosed as it emerged that the collapse of West Ham’s deal to take over the Olympic Stadium has left a shortfall in the public funding package.

Margaret Hodge MP, the committee’s chairman, said the cost of reconfiguring the stadium was certain to be raised by MPs. She said that the officials in charge “appear to be oblivious to the constraints that the rest of the public sector are experiencing.”

Dennis Hone, chief executive of the Olympic Development Authority, Paul Deighton, chief executive of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games, and Jonathan Stephens, the most senior civil servant at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, will also be questioned.

Newham and the Government blamed “legal paralysis” caused by Tottenham and Leyton Orient, who have demanded a judicial review scheduled to be heard next Tuesday.

Newham were also facing an anonymous complaint to the European Commission, arguing that their loan constituted illegal state aid.

There was also the possibility that Newham-West Ham could lose the case if it went to a full hearing. Leyton Orient were increasingly confident about the strength of their case.

The hearing will come after the National Audit Office, the public spending watchdog, publishes a value-for-money review of the Olympics in the next few weeks.

The OPLC confirmed on Tuesday that it had ended negotiations with West Ham and funding partner Newham Council because legal challenges meant they could no longer guarantee to have the stadium open for the start of the 2014-15 football season.

The OPLC said it would issue new tender documents for a 60,000-seat stadium retaining the running track by early next month and is seeking expression of interest by January. The intention is for the stadium to remain in public ownership with the successful bidder paying an annual rent of around £2 million.

Under the new proposal, however, the cost of converting the stadium from its 85,000 Olympic capacity to a 60,000-seat arena with the facilities required by a Premier League football club will fall to the taxpayer.

Sports minister Hugh Robertson said on Tuesday that the cost was estimated at £95 million.

Some £35 million of that has already been allocated by the OPLC to a conversion fund, but the remaining £60million is likely to be met from public funds unless a tenant can be persuaded to contribute.

Estimates on Tuesday night suggested the costs could exceed £100 million.

The OPLC and Government would hope to recover the investment in rent over the lifetime of the stadium. They will also hope to attract other sports and concert promoters to show an interest.

Robertson suggested that Newham might be persuaded to provide £40 million to the conversion costs as under the initial deal with West Ham, but conceded that there was no requirement for them to do so.

West Ham immediately said they would bid to move to the stadium. Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, said the new tenants would “almost certainly be West Ham”. This drew an angry response and the threat of further legal action from Leyton Orient, who are also intent on bidding for the stadium, which is less than a mile from Brisbane Road.

“It appears from the mayor’s comments that he has not grasped the reality of an impartial tender process unless he knows something that we don’t,” club chairman Barry Hearn said.

“One would have thought that if there have been any lessons from this debacle of a bid process that they have not been learnt. We will be watching carefully.”

Chelsea and QPR, both exploring new stadium options, last night said they were not interested. Tottenham will examine the tender documents but if the track is non-negotiable they will concentrate on securing additional public sector funding for their new ground in Haringey.

Leyton Orient will go to the High Court on Thursday seeking to recover their full costs.

Andrew Boff, Olympic spokesman for the Conservative Group on the London Assembly, branded the collapse “a catastrophe” and blamed London 2012 chairman Lord Coe for insisting the running track be kept.

The announcement was welcomed by Johnson and UK Athletics, who believe the commitment to retain the track will enhance their bid for the 2017 World Athletics Championships.

What the OPLC decision means for the key players in stadium drama

UK ATHLETICS
The decision represents a welcome boost to UKA, as it guarantees the retention of a running track – crucial for London’s bid to host the 2017 World Championships. Athletics is the major beneficiary without contributing any funding.

What they say: UKA chairman Ed Warner: "The legacy company has acted swiftly and smartly. They’re going to get a positive result.”

OLYMPIC PARK LEGACY COMPANY
A serious embarrassment. They had been confident the deal with West Ham would survive legal challenges. They will now have to spend up to £100 million of public money on transforming the stadium.

What they say: Sports Minister Hugh Robertson: "This is not a white elephant. The action we have taken today is about removing uncertainty.”

WEST HAM
West Ham appear to remain the OPLC’s preferred bidder for the £2 million-a-year tenancy. This new scenario could be a better deal for the club, who could not have afforded to move into the stadium without the £40 million of state aid promised by Newham Council. That money was under threat if Tottenham and Leyton Orient had won their High Court case against the West Ham-Newham bid.

What they say: Karren Brady, vice-chairman: "Our bid is the only one that will secure the sporting and community legacy promise.”

TOTTENHAM
The club welcomed the decision and will look at the OPLC’s tenancy terms. But if a running track is non-negotiable, they have already stated they are not interested. Instead they will focus on securing public funding for a new stadium in Haringey.

What they say: Club statement: "The bid we put forward was a realistic solution.”

LEYTON ORIENT
A major victory for the League One club in the short term. The decision does not banish their big fear – West Ham moving in – but they will now bid to become the stadium’s tenant.

What they say: Chairman Barry Hearn: "If it’s not us moving in, we will continue to object.”

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Posted in: London 2012,London 2012 Olympic,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Olympics Tickets,London 2012 Stadium,London 2012 Tickets

London 2012 Paralympic Games tickets now on sale

In the UK and within the EU, people can apply for tickets online between 9am on 9 September and 6pm on 26 September 2011.

Approximately two million tickets will go on sale to the public between now and Games time, with 1.5 million being available in this first phase.

A third of tickets are priced at £5, half of tickets priced at £10 or less and three quarters of tickets are £20 or less. As with Olympic Games tickets, the system is not first come, first served and there is no advantage to applying earlier in the process.

Tickets for oversubscribed sessions will be allocated via a ballot. Payment will be taken by 31 October 2011 with notification of whether applications have been successful sent by 18 November 2011.
Sebastian Coe, Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG), commented: 'The Paralympic Games are coming home in 2012 and I’m confident that the whole country will get behind them. People will have the chance to see sport like never before, with world class athletes who challenge the notion of 'disability'; it’s a huge opportunity for Paralympic sport to become part of the nation’s consciousness and finally, it will be a moment of extraordinary pride.'

Sir Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee, said: 'Those who buy tickets for London 2012 will see sport like never before, featuring incredible athletes participating in incredible sport. These Games are an opportunity to drive societal change and create a legacy for this country that was first started in 1948 at Stoke Mandeville.'

Different types of tickets

In total there will be over 300 sessions across the 20 Paralympic sports at 20 venues. Day passes will be available exclusively for the Paralympic Games, enabling spectators to see a range of sports taking place in the Olympic Park, ExCeL or The Royal Artillery Barracks on that day on a general admission basis.

A Group Organiser scheme has also been created which will see large groups receive additional tickets at no extra charge.

Truly accessible Games

LOCOG is also committed to making sure that the London 2012 Games will be the most accessible possible and that everyone has the opportunity to be involved. A variety of schemes have been announced including the ‘Ticketcare’ scheme, which will enable any successful ticket applicant with high dependency care needs to apply for an additional ticket for their carer or Personal Assistant.

Tickets for the London 2012 Paralympic Games are now on sale around the world.

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Posted in: London 2012,London 2012 Olympic,London 2012 Olympic Games,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Olympics Online,London 2012 Olympics Tickets,London 2012 Stadium,London 2012 Ticket Sales,London 2012 Tickets

London Olympics 2012: Over 20 million people apply for tickets

Organisers have also revealed that 1.8m people submitted requests for the 6.6m available public tickets, whose six-week sale window closed in the early hours of this morning. And 95 percent of these applications come from the United Kingdom.

They report that applications were received for every session, every sport and across every price point. Track cycling, rhythmic gymnastics, triathlon, modern pentathlon, equestrian cross country and both ceremonies have become London 2012’s first sell out events.

The majority of sessions in swimming have also sold out while tennis, despite being staged just a few weeks after Wimbledon, is another hot ticket.

Indeed organisers Locog claim that the opening ceremony, which will be produced by Oscar winning director Danny Boyle, could have sold out ten times over.

"We are thrilled with the response right across the board, in all sports and all sessions," said London 2012 chairman Seb Coe.

"Certain events have seen massive demand – for example the opening ceremony, which is more than ten times oversubscribed, so there will understandably be disappointment and we will find a way to go back to those people with other tickets. 

"What is most encouraging is that the majority of applications are for multiple tickets and for several sports, which shows that friends and family are planning to go to the Games together."

However, some fans are furious that issues with the London 2012 website in the final hour of the ticket sale prevented them from applying.

Initial problems struck at around 10:30pm and lasted for approximately 20 minutes as the midnight deadline drew ever closer - prompting Locog to extend the sale by one hour.

London 2012 will now check applications before running computerised ballots for those sessions which are oversubscribed.

Money will be debited from accounts and credit cards from May 10th, although they may not get formal confirmation of which events they have been successful in buying tickets for until June.

Despite the success of the sale, London 2012 still expect to have £100 million worth of unsold tickets to sell, mainly for preliminary sessions of less popular sports and the UK wide football competition, which will be staged in Cardiff, Coventry, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle, in addition to London's Wembley Stadium.

Organisers believe those tickets won't really start to sell until teams are confirmed and draws are made next year - while there remains an issue over whether the Great Britain football team will be fully representative or just comprised of players from England.

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Posted in: London 2012,London 2012 Olympic,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Olympics Online,London 2012 Stadium,London 2012 Tickets,London 2012 Volunteer

39 Olympic Logos From 1924 to 2012

Living in Vancouver, Canada, I’ve been seeing the logo of the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympic Games more and more around the city as the date draws closer.

I thought it would be interesting to take a look at how the design trends in Olympic logos have evolved over the years.

Noticeably, the logos seem to have changed from a monochromatic trend to a more multicolor approach in recent years.

Logo design seems to have been streamlined to simpler and cleaner shapes. This article features every logo from the summer and winter Olympic games from 1924 to 2012.

Paris – Summer 1924

Lake Placid – Winter 1932

Los Angeles – Summer 1932

Garmisch-Partenkirchen – Winter 1936

Berlin – Summer 1936

St. Moritz – Winter 1948

London – Summer 1948

Oslo – Winter 1952

Helsinki – Summer 1952

Cortina d’Ampezzo – Winter 1956

Melbourne / Stockholm – Summer 1956

Squaw Valley – Winter 1960

Rome – Summer 1960

Innsbruck – Winter 1964

Tokyo – Summer 1964

Grenoble – Winter 1968

Mexico – Summer 1968

Sapporo – Winter 1972

Munich – Summer 1972

Innsbruck – Winter 1976

Montreal – Summer 1976

Lake Placid – Winter 1980

Moscow – Summer 1980

Sarajevo – Winter 1984

Los Angeles – Summer 1984

Calgary – Winter 1988

Seoul – Summer 1988

Albertville – Winter 1992

Barcelona – Summer 1992

Lillehammer – Winter 1994

Atlanta – Summer 1996

Nagano – Winter 1998

Sydney – Summer 2000

Salt Lake City – Winter 2002

Athens – Summer 2004

Turin – Winter 2006

Beijing – Summer 2008

Vancouver – Winter 2010

London – Summer 2012

Which is your favorite logo and what do you think of the logos of the upcoming Vancouver and London games?

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Posted in: London 2011,London 2012,London 2012 Olympic,London 2012 Olympic Games,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Olympics Tickets,London 2012 Stadium

London 2012 Olympics: football should follow IOC example to tackle corruption

Thus, Lord Triesman said FIFA are corrupt elements. What's New? Claims against the majority of the members of FIFA have been released for over a decade. Certainly, England 2018 bidders that have been well aware of the bar to talk about who is sensitive to some interesting proposals, whether women or cash, or in the case of a member, according to Lord Triesman, a gentleman of honor the queen.

However, England went ahead in 2018 and participated in the bidding process in any way. Several million pounds have been allocated under the pretext of winning more than a dozen members to vote - for good, because - according to application managers in England.

But now with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport committee reviews what happened in England 2018, and both shameful results of the vote, the intense questioning can be addressed by a national audience, but England international cement only an arrogant, distant , and a very unfortunate attitude sour grapes.

The committee is trying to blame others for the failures of England? While the ambush of his first witness, Qatar 2022 consultant Mike Lee, who appeared to be a clumsy attempt to undermine the success of Qatar.

Testimony given before the committee of journalists quoting unnamed whistle on alleged corruption had already been sent to FIFA. But the committee apparently frustrated that FIFA had seemed to do something with the material.

"The committee wants to win now as the ethics of FIFA? If the government was not prepared for a loss, why the game features first?

Lee, who also worked near triumph of London 2012 Olympic bid campaign, said football could be a disservice if the committee seemed to blame everybody.

However, Lord Triesman claims on the operation of bribery of FIFA evokes a wonderful time at the end of 1998, when an old Swiss IOC member Marc Hodler was descending the stairs to the IOC headquarters in Vidy Castle and pronounced similar claims of corruption against some of his colleagues on the successful bid of Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games 2002.

IOC was forced to lay off six members, to provide a broad reforms and a policy of transparency, so that all donations are now banned, and members can not visit the candidate cities.

Around the same time governments - particularly the U.S., Britain and Australia - have wanted to be seen participating in activities and forced the IOC to take a strong opposition to the drug problem in sport and helped to pay for an independent World Anti Doping Agency. Political participation is not only a fast track to help eradicate doping in sport, the country continues to pay half the cost.

Triesman also maintains, despite his team after his attempt to remove the vanity and blabbing is a young woman is forced Fifa to implement serious reform measures, if only the time square is the center of the Fifa presidential elections.

But if the committee DCMS really wants clean World Cup and have an impact on the world of sport, they could look no further than the biggest scourge facing football today: match fixing and illegal paris.

Like the IOC has done more than a decade of drug Fifa will certainly accept political interference in the issue of the fight against corruption.

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Posted in: London 2012 Olympic,London 2012 Olympic Games,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Olympics Tickets,London 2012 Stadium,London 2012 Ticket Sales

London 2012 Celebrates 500 Days To Go As Tickets Go On Sale

London 2012 began its 500-days-to-go celebrations yesterday with the unveiling of the OMEGA countdown clock in Trafalgar Square. As official timekeeper for the London 2012 Games, OMEGA has provided a large countdown clock that will allow Londoners to see the days, hours, minutes and seconds until London’s big day on 27 July 2012 – the day of the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games. In addition, Olympic tickets have also gone on sale around the world, with sports and Olympic fans now able to apply to see the world’s best athletes compete at the Games.

The Greatest Tickets on Earth

Described by London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) Chairman Sebastian Coe as the “greatest tickets on earth”, now is your chance to apply for tickets to the London 2012 Olympic Games. UK and residents of designated European countries can apply through London 2012’s ticketing website at any time during the 42-day application period. It is not a first-come, first-served system within the UK, so take your time and decide which events you want to try and attend with your family and friends. Fans living outside the UK (including in the designated European countries) will be able to apply for tickets through their local National Olympic Committee (NOC) and/or its Authorised Ticket Reseller (ATR). Sales processes may vary according to territory, so fans are encouraged to contact their NOC and/or local ATR for more details. We are proud to work with Worldwide TOP Partner Visa as the exclusive payment services provider.
Be There

Summing up what fans can expect in 2012, LOCOG Chairman Coe said, “London will be a fantastic place to be in the summer of 2012, with a unique atmosphere, and we look forward to welcoming the world to our city and to the UK. There is a huge range of tickets available, to see the best athletes in the world competing. My message is simple – be there.”
Counting Down

The OMEGA countdown clock was unveiled by four Olympic gold medallists from Team GB - rowers Pete Reed and Andy Hodge and sailors Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson. It stands 6.5 metres high, is 5 metres long and weighs around 4 tonnes. Its design reflects the look of the Games, with the beams of light on the clock being inspired by London and its connection with the Meridian Line in Greenwich, the home of time. The final countdown has now well and truly begun for those athletes looking to be at the London Games in 500 days’ time.
LONDON 2012

London was elected as the host city for the Games of the XXX Olympiad on 6 July 2005 at the 117th IOC Session in Singapore. London eventually succeeded in the fourth round of voting, taking 54 votes from a possible 104. London faced stiff opposition during the vote from the other four candidate cities: Paris, New York, Moscow and Madrid. There will be 26 sports on the Olympic programme in London in 2012 and around 10,500 athletes.

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Posted in: 2012 London Olympic,2012 London Olympics,2012 Olympic,2012 Olympic Logo,2012 Olympic stadium,2012 olympic travel packages,London 2012,London 2012 Olympic,London 2012 Olympic Games,London 2012 Olympics Tickets,London 2012 Stadium

London 2012 Olympics: football guide

Aptly enough, football became a full Olympic medal sport at the London Games of 1908, having been a mere demonstration for the first modern Olympiad, in Athens in 1896. Football itself, of course, had far longer lineage, with even the ancient Greeks known to have played a variation of the game.

The breakthrough for its Olympic profile came at Barcelona ’92, with professional players permitted to take part in the Games for the first time. The rules were adapted to define the men’s competition as an under-23 event, although three players over this age could be included in every team. The women’s event has no age limit and has formed part of the Games since Atlanta ’96.

London 2012 could witness a further seminal moment in Olympic football’s development: the banner of Team GB. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown caused consternation when he floated this suggestion in 2008, as the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish associations protested that their status would be reduced within Fifa, governing body of the global game. England, though, will not be prevented from fielding players for the British team.

Rules:

Football is, in the words of no less than an authority than Sir Bobby Charlton, a “simple game”. Two teams of 11 players on an outdoor pitch seek to put the ball in the others’ net, and the team with the most goals after 90 minutes wins. Straightforward enough? Well, there is the complication of the offside rule, which for anyone who ever followed the game on Sky, Richard Keys and Andy Gray would be happy to explain.

Events / disciplines:
Men’s football
Women’s football

Gold medals available: 2

Schedule:
July 25 - Aug 11
Olympic football schedule

Plan your Games with our:
Interactive London 2012 Olympic Schedule

Ticket prices:
Range from £20 - £185
Special prices available in category B+C+D

Venue:
Wembley Stadium
Old Trafford
Millennium Stadium
St James' Park
Hampden Park
City of Coventry Stadium

How many medals targeted by Team GB?

A goal of medals in both men’s and women’s football might be highly ambitious, but this is an unpredictable sport. Perhaps the most unpredictable sport.

Where are the chances?

The women must have a strong chance, mainly because they are regular team-mates under the coaching of Hope Powell – a fixture in the job since as far back as 1998. England's performance in last year’s European Championships – where they lost 6-2 to Germany in the final – was their best in any tournament to date.

As for the men, well, who would bet on a team with a strong English presence after the way they “polluted the World Cup”, in the words of one senior BBC commentator? At least we can expect a wholesale change of personnel. Fifa rules state that the team has to consist mainly of players under the age of 23, with the exception of three senior campaigners. According to one excitable report, David Beckham – who will be 37 at the time of the Olympics – is making a bid for inclusion.

Key issue internationally?

Hugh Robertson, minister for sport and the Olympics, has insisted that the framework for a Great Britain team must be laid down by the end of the year. But the issue continues to cause disquiet among the home nations’ administrators.

The smaller members, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, know that they are likely to be overshadowed by the English presence, and are unlikely to supply any players. Their biggest concern is that a British Olympic team might become a Trojan horse for overall unification, and that they might lose their independent status, or – even more worryingly – their vote at Fifa's top table.

Biggest challenge domestically?

It will be interesting to see how far the Premier League clubs will go when it comes to making their best young players available. In the build-up to the Olympics, the team will need all the training time it can get. The appointment of a manager will be another talking point. Roy Hodgson, who previously coached the UAE’s Olympic team, has been linked with the job. But then Hodgson seems to get linked with just about every job as a matter of course.

Brits to watch?

Jack Rodwell: Outstanding as a defensive midfielder for Everton, the 19 year-old is also increasingly deployed in attacking positions. In 2008 he became his club’s youngest ever player in a European match. A year later, he earned his first start at Under-21 level for England, drawing wide praise for his performance in the draw against Germany at the European Championships. He could yet marshal the midfield for Team GB.

Nathan Delfouneso: At 19, the Aston Villa starlet could be the most promising English striker in his age group. A product of Villa’s academy, he was given his first senior appearance in 2008 but has since remained on the periphery as Martin O’Neill and, more recently, Gerard Houllier both struggled to incorporate him into the first team. But his goal on debut for England’s Under-21s last March suggested he was capable of making an impact on the international stage.

Anita Asante: Once a hardy perennial of the Arsenal women’s team, the 25 year-old has since chased the lucre offered by the US professional league by joining newly-formed Washington Freedom. Having competed internationally for six years, the Londoner is making a place in the GB team for 2012 a priority.

Biggest international rivals?

Lionel Messi (Argentina): The Argentinians have become renowned for their unmatched development system for young players, winning the last two Olympic golds, but Leo Messi remains a breed apart. The pivot of an exhilarating three-man attack at Barcelona, providing magical trickery with every touch, he is indisputably the most gifted player in the world, with only Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid in close competition. While without a goal for his country at the 2010 World Cup, Messi has shone on the Olympic stage already, scoring two goals at Beijing ’08 and setting up the winner in the final against Nigeria.

Javier Hernandez (Mexico): The ‘little pea’, or ‘Chicharito’, acquired by Manchester United from Guadalajara from Mexico in the summer of 2010, has proved a revelation up front at Old Trafford with his goals and inventive support play. Likely to spearhead a fearsome Mexico side, which should also include Arsenal’s Carlos Vela.

Alexandre Pato (Brazil): AC Milan’s beloved ‘duck’ (the translation of Pato from the Portuguese) remains a prodigious talent, despite being overlooked by Dunga, the former Brazil coach, for a place at the last World Cup in South Africa. Has a lethal eye for goal, scoring on his international debut in March 2008, and proved a headline name at the Beijing Games.

Jargon:
Foul – Covers any illegal interference with a player on the opposing team and could involve kicking, shoving, pushing, tripping or dangerous tackling.

Fact:
Hungary has won three football gold medals, more than any other country.

Legends of the sport:
Pele (Brazil), Eusebio (Portugal), Mia Hamm (US)

What to say.....
“I reckon Britain can end 100 years of hurt here.”

What not to say.......
“The Nigerian team look awfully old for a team of mostly under-23s.”

If it were a TV programme, it would be...
Newsround. All right for the kids, but if you are a grown up you really ought to be watching the real thing instead.

Official sites:
www.london2012.com/games/olympic-sports/football.php
www.fifa.com/
www.thefa.com/
www.scottishfa.co.uk/
www.faw.org.uk/
www.faw.org.uk/

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Posted in: 2012 London Olympic,2012 London Olympics,London 2012,London 2012 Olympic,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Olympics Tickets,London 2012 Stadium,London Olympics Football Guide,London Olympics Football Schedule

London 2012 Olympics: Football schedule

VENUE	DATE	SESSION TIME			M/W	SESSION DESCRIPTION
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff	25 July 2012	16:00 - 20:45			W	Preliminaries (2 matches)
City of Coventry Stadium, Coventry	25 July 2012	17:00 - 21:45			W	Preliminaries (2 matches)
Hampden Park, Glasgow	25 July 2012	17:00 - 21:45			W	Preliminaries (2 matches)
Hampden Park, Glasgow	26 July 2012	12:00 - 16:45			M	Preliminaries (2 matches)
St James' Park, Newcastle	26 July 2012	14:30 - 19:15			M	Preliminaries (2 matches)
Old Trafford, Manchester	26 July 2012	17:00 - 21:45			M	Preliminaries (2 matches)
City of Coventry Stadium, Coventry	26 July 2012	19:45 - 21:45			M	Preliminaries (1 match)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff	26 July 2012	19:45 - 21:45			M	Preliminaries (1 match)
City of Coventry Stadium, Coventry	28 July 2012	12:00 - 16:45			W	Preliminaries (2 matches)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff	28 July 2012	14:30 - 19:15			W	Preliminaries (2 matches)
Hampden Park, Glasgow	28 July 2012	17:00 - 21:45			W	Preliminaries (2 matches)
Old Trafford, Manchester	29 July 2012	12:00 - 16:45			M	Preliminaries (2 matches)
City of Coventry Stadium, Coventry	29 July 2012	14:30 - 19:15			M	Preliminaries (2 matches)
St James' Park, Newcastle	29 July 2012	17:00 - 21:45			M	Preliminaries (2 matches)
Wembley Stadium	29 July 2012	17:00 - 21:45			M	Preliminaries (2 matches)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff	31 July 2012	14:30 - 16:30			W	Preliminaries (1 match)
St James' Park, Newcastle	31 July 2012	14:30 - 19:15			W	Preliminaries (2 matches)
Old Trafford, Manchester	31 July 2012	17:15 - 19:15			W	Preliminaries (1 match)
City of Coventry Stadium, Coventry	31 July 2012	19:45 - 21:45			W	Preliminaries (1 match)
Wembley Stadium	31 July 2012	19:45 - 21:45			W	Preliminaries (1 match)
Hampden Park, Glasgow	01 August 2012	14:30 - 16:30			M	Preliminaries (1 match)
St James' Park, Newcastle	01 August 2012	14:30 - 16:30			M	Preliminaries (1 match)
City of Coventry Stadium, Coventry	01 August 2012	17:00 - 21:45			M	Preliminaries (2 matches)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff	01 August 2012	17:00 - 21:45			M	Preliminaries (2 matches)
Old Trafford, Manchester	01 August 2012	17:00 - 19:00			M	Preliminaries (1 match)
Wembley Stadium	01 August 2012	17:00 - 19:00			M	Preliminaries (1 match)
Hampden Park, Glasgow	03 August 2012	12:00 - 14:00			W	Quarter-final
St James' Park, Newcastle	03 August 2012	14:30 - 16:30			W	Quarter-final
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff	03 August 2012	17:00 - 19:00			W	Quarter-final
City of Coventry Stadium, Coventry	03 August 2012	19:30 - 21:30			W	Quarter-final
Old Trafford, Manchester	04 August 2012	12:00 - 14:00			M	Quarter-final
Wembley Stadium	04 August 2012	14:30 - 16:30			M	Quarter-final
St James' Park, Newcastle	04 August 2012	17:00 - 19:00			M	Quarter-final
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff	04 August 2012	19:30 - 21:30			M	Quarter-final
Wembley Stadium	06 August 2012	17:00 - 19:00			W	Semi-final
Old Trafford, Manchester	06 August 2012	19:45 - 21:45			W	Semi-final
Wembley Stadium	07 August 2012	17:00 - 19:00			M	Semi-final
Old Trafford, Manchester	07 August 2012	19:45 - 21:45			M	Semi-final
City of Coventry Stadium, Coventry	09 August 2012	13:00 - 15:00			W	Bronze medal match
Wembley Stadium	09 August 2012	19:45 - 22:15			W	Gold medal match, victory ceremony
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff	10 August 2012	19:45 - 21:45			M	Bronze medal match
Wembley Stadium	11 August 2012	15:00 - 17:30			M	Gold medal match, victory ceremony

M Men's event

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Posted in: 2012 London Olympic,2012 London Olympics,2012 Olympics,London 2012,London 2012 Olympic,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Stadium,London Olympics Football Schedule

London 2012 Olympic venues to stage test events this summer

Spectators will get their first taste of sport in the new 2012 Olympic venues this summer at test events including beach volleyball at Horse Guards Parade and basketball in the Olympic Park, London organisers have revealed.

A comprehensive 12-month testing programme will cover 42 events across 26 venues and involving 8,000 athletes from more than 50 countries. Not all of the events will be open to the public, depending on the emphasis of the tests.

A total of 150,000 tickets costing between £5 and £35 will be on sale across several events, though others such as the London–Surrey Cycle Classic to test the road race route will be free.

Tickets for the equestrian test events at Greenwich Park will be given away to local residents. Altogether, a total of 250,000 spectators are expected to see events in the so-called "London Prepares Series".

"This is a dress rehearsal for us but the public, of course, will see the rehearsal not the dress. It will look and feel quite different," London 2012's chief executive, Paul Deighton, said. "We don't expect to get everything absolutely right. If we did I wouldn't be happy because we wouldn't be stress-testing things properly. We will learn from our mistakes and make changes."

The series takes in events organised and ticketed by the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Locog), such as the mountain biking at Hadleigh Farm for which there will be 5,000 tickets available in July, and others, such as the Badminton World Championships at Wembley Arena in August, that it will not organise but will help to staff and operate.

The test events are grouped into three "clusters". The first, in July and August this year, predominantly take place at venues away from the Park. The exceptions are the BMX and basketball events on the Olympic Park, for which spectators will be bussed in to what will still be a construction site.

Locog will build reduced versions of the temporary grandstands that will be used for the Games at the showjumping arena in Greenwich Park and the beach volleyball venue at Horse Guards Parade.

The second cluster of events, from November to January next year, will include events at the aquatics centre and the velodrome, while the third cluster in April and May 2012 will test the rest of the Olympic Park venues including the athletics stadium.

Deighton said the events would be used to test technology, security, ticketing, crowd flows and logistical considerations surrounding the individual sports themselves. Modern pentathlon, for example, has recently switched to laser shooting in place of the traditional air rifles and will need to be rigorously tested in situ at Greenwich Park.

Deighton and Locog's head of sport, Debbie Jevans, said lessons had been learned about the staging of events from Beijing and about city-wide logistics from the Vancouver Winter Games.

In Vancouver in 2010, organisers came under fire for the Own the Podium programme that attempted to maximise home advantage by restricting access to rival teams.

Asked whether London organisers risked going the other way by inviting top-class athletes to compete in Games-time conditions at new 2012 venues, Jevans said: "We have worked closely with the BOA but also with international federations to allow them access. We have to be open but we also have to get ready to deliver these Games."

Deighton also confirmed that those who did not get all the tickets they applied for in the first phase of applications, which closed on 26 April, would be offered the chance to buy other tickets in July. Those who didn't apply in the first phase won't be able to do so until late this year.Tickets for the test events will be sold through Ticketmaster from 26 May.

The four ticketed London 2012 test events this summer are

Mountain bike 31 July, Hadleigh Farm, Essex

Beach volleyball 9-14 August, Horse Guards Parade

Basketball 16-21 August, Basketball Arena, Olympic Park

BMX 19-20 August, BMX Track, Olympic Park

Other London 2012 venue ticketed events include

Gymnastics (artistic, rhythmic and trampoline) 10-18 January 2012, North Greenwich Arena

Cycling (track) 17-19 February 2012, Velodrome, Olympic Park

Aquatics (diving) 20-26 February 2012, Aquatics Centre, Olympic Park

Aquatics (synchronised swimming) 18-22 April 2012, Aquatics Centre, Olympic Park

Hockey 2-6 May 2012, Hockey Centre, Olympic Park

Wheelchair tennis 2-6 May 2012, Eton Manor, Olympic Park

Water polo 3-6 May 2012, Aquatics Centre, Olympic Park

Athletics 4-7 May 2012, Olympic Stadium

Paralympic athletics 8 May 2012, Olympic Stadium

Ticketing arrangements for these events will be announced later this year

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Posted in: 2012 London Olympic,2012 London Olympics,2012 Olympic,2012 Olympic Logo,2012 Olympic stadium,2012 Olympics,2012 Olympics Coins,2012 Olympics logo,2012 Olympics Progress,2012 Olympics venue,London 2012,London 2012 Olympic,London 2012 Olympic Coins,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Olympics Tickets,London 2012 Stadium,London Olympic 2012,London Olympic Games

London 2012 - Mixed sailing debuts as 2016 events decided

The 2016 Olympics will see mixed sailing make its Games debut after the ISF announced the 10 events that will take to the water in Brazil.

After a meeting in St Petersburg the ISAF Council announced that a two-person mixed multihull event will be included in 2016.

But arguably the biggest impacting change for the Great Britain sailors comes with the culling of the Star keelboat class, an event GB has dominated in recent years.

Great Britain's Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson won gold in the Star event at the 2008 Games but next year's 2012 Olympic will be their final chance to top the podium in the class.

The Elliott class - making its debut next year in London - has also been cut from the Olympic schedule meaning there will be no keelboat events in Rio.

The women's skiff has also been added to the schedule, a decision received with mixed feelings by John Derbyshire, the Royal Yachting Association's racing manager and performance director.

"The RYA is supportive of the slate of events agreed by ISAF Council, which shows progression within the sport and a clear pathway now, particularly for girls transitioning from the youth classes into Olympic campaigning," said Derbyshire.

"It's disappointing in some ways to be losing an old friend with the removal of the Star class, which has been a fixture in Olympic sailing since 1932, and that Women's Match Racing has not proved as successful as hoped.

"The mood of the meeting clearly showed, though, that the retention of the keelboat events is not the right thing for the future growth and appeal of the sport in Olympic terms right now, and that the events chosen reflect more the mass participation of young sailors within sailing, and the RYA supports those views."

More Than The Games / Eurosport

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Posted in: 2012 London Olympic,2012 London Olympics,2012 Olympic,2012 Olympic Logo,2012 Olympic stadium,2012 Olympics,2012 Olympics Coins,2012 Olympics logo,2012 Olympics Progress,2012 Olympics venue,London 2012,London 2012 Olympic,London 2012 Olympic Coins,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Olympics Tickets,London 2012 Stadium

London Olympic Stadium – Unique Design

London Olympic Stadium Construction – Architectural Marvel

With the London 2012 Olympics promising to be one of the most spectacular events ever, the organizers are planning to build a Olympic stadium which would be one of the most unique, modern and large stadiums in the world.  In fact, the Olympic stadium promises to be one of the major attractions of the London 2012 Olympics.  The stadium is proposed to be built at the Lower Lea Valley in Stratford.  The location chosen at Stratford is Marshgate Lane.

You would be amazed to note that the capacity of the Olympic Stadium would be a massive eighty thousand.  This would also make it the third largest and one of the most modern in Britain.  As already known, the Wembley stadium is the largest in Britain.  What is most unique about the Olympics Stadium design is that the huge capacity of eighty thousand can be greatly and easily reduced to twenty five thousand after the Olympic Games are over.  This is definitely an architectural marvel.

Although, the Olympic Stadium is made up of layers, many of them are temporary.  The method of constructing the Olympic Stadium has been formulated intelligently based on the principle of cut and fill.  Under this approach, the land is dug deep till it assumes the shape of a bowl, which would be easily able to accommodate twenty five thousand permanent seats.  In other words, this bowl structure forms the permanent part of the Olympic Stadium.  The architects have also planned to build a temporary structure above the permanent structure which would accommodate a good fifty five thousand individuals.

You should also note that the track and field part of the Olympic Stadium is being laid around the permanent structure.  This has been done mainly by excavating the soft clay from the earth.  The whole job is being done by using rakers made of concrete.  The ground over there has got a natural slope and the architects have taken full advantage of this aspect to incorporate this in to the Olympic Stadium design.  The changing rooms and warm-up areas are also being planned to be built in the basement region.  The upper temporary structure is made of lightweight steel and concrete which is demountable, in order to accommodate fifty five thousand spectators.  This work is going on at a brisk pace.

It has been decided that the temporary structure of the Olympic Stadium would be made using fabric which is lightweight.  The entire roof of the Olympic Stadium is going to be made out of fabric and would be based on the principles of engineering, governing a bicycle wheel.  The roof, although made from fabric would be strong enough to hold all the lights installed for the various sporting events and ceremonies.

The Olympic stadium is being built using state of the art technology since it is going to play host to millions of fans watching the sports events on their television, thousands of spectators who would be attending the games, the press from the world over, the various heads of states and some of the world’s greatest sportsmen.  The key feature of this wonderful modern stadium is that once the Olympic Games are over, this stadium can be used for local and domestic purpose.  This is one of the main objectives behind the unique spectacular design of the Olympic Stadium.

Read More>> 2012 London Olympics, London 2012 Olympics

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Mario and Sonic headed to the 2012 London Olympic games

Sega and Nintendo have once again teamed up to sent these two legendary video game characters to the Olympic games. This time the theme is the upcoming 2012 Olympics in London. One notable difference this time around is that it will be available for the new Nintendo 3DS, as well as the Wii.

The Mario and Sonic themed games have sold 19 million copies worldwide. Newly introduced this time around are the football and equestrian events, which will be included on the Wii version. The 3DS version will include over 50 of the originally themed events, available in both single and multiplayer formats. There is no set release date at this time, but we will keep you posted as more information becomes available.

We will leave you with this statement from Naoya Tsurumi, Chairman for SEGA of America and SEGA Europe:

“It is truly exciting to be in the position to develop interactive entertainment software titles based on the Olympic Games, and for Sonic and Mario to once again be a part of this historic event.”

Kitguru says: It will be interesting to see what the features or limitations are regarding the 3DS version

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Posted in: 2012 Olympics,2012 Olympics venue,London 2011 Olympics Volunteer,London 2012 Olympic,London 2012 Olympics,London 2012 Olympics Tickets,London 2012 Stadium,London Olympics Hotels,London Olympics Stadium,London Olympics Tickets,Mario and Sonic

London 2012 Olympics: daily countdown to the Games

As the London 2012 Olympics draws ever nearer Telegraph Sport counts down with a daily fact or figure.

Malfunction: the Olympic countdown clock stopped with 499 days to go Photo: EPA

10:14AM GMT 24 Mar 2011

491 - 491 bronze medals have been won in Olympic swimming events since 1896.

492 - In 492 BC, at the Ancient Games, a feared boxer named Cleomedes was denied a gold medal in a fight that involved him brutally slaying his opponent. The disqualification was not for the killing, but a technical incident during the fight.

493 - The 493 London bus runs from Richmond - a key destination in the road cycling race - via Wimbledon Park and Southfields, where the All England Tennis club is located.

494 - 494 competitors from 67 nations took place in swimming events at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics.

495 - £495 is the estimated starting cost per head for a place in a corporate hospitality box at the London 2012 Olympics tennis events.

496 - £496 million is the estimated cost of the Olympic Stadium, the focus of a post-Games tussle between West Ham and Tottenham - which the former won.

497 - £497 million was the estimated returns to the Olympics Lottery Distribution Found from sales of dedicated games, as of March 2010,

498 - With 498 days to go we learned that fridges and large amounts of coins were banned from London 2012 Olympic venues.

499 - The London 2012 Olympic countdown clock in Trafalgar Square stopped with 499 days to go after a technical error. Designers Omega were forced into sending technicians to fix the issue in an incident that proved to be a public relations nightmare.

500 - £500 is the cost of buying two official London 2012 ‘yellow gold disc charms’ from the online store.

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Posted in: 2012 London Olympic,2012 London Olympics,2012 Olympic stadium,2012 Olympics,2012 Olympics logo,2012 Olympics venue,London 2012 Olympic,London 2012 Stadium,London Olympic 2012,London Olympics

Tottenham's London 2012 stadium plans horrify Sally Gunnell

OLYMPIC queen Sally Gunnell says she would be “horrified” if ­Tottenham took a wrecking ball to the London 2012 stadium.

Hurdles legend Gunnell was among the signatories – including Daley Thompson, Dame Kelly Holmes and Lynn Davies – on an open letter to the Olympic Park Legacy Company demanding that the stadium should keep its athletics track.

Last week the OPLC deferred a decision on the stadium’s future as a bitter tug-of-war over its use beyond 2012 intensified.

West Ham want to leave Upton Park, move into the Olympic stadium and retain the track, but Tottenham propose to abandon White Hart Lane and demolish the arena before building a new 60,000-seater ground from scratch.

And on the day organisers begin interviews for the 70,000-strong army of volunteers at London 2012, Gunnell, 44, cranked up the campaign against Spurs’ plan to ignore any running track.

Gunnell, who struck gold for Britain in ­Barcelona 19 years ago, said: “I’m wholeheartedly behind the principle of keeping the track, whether that’s in partnership with a football club or not.

“The whole idea was to build the ultimate athletics venue, with the potential to host everything from schools to grand prix events, European and world ­championships beyond the 2012 Games.

“At the time we won the bid, there was no talk of football being involved in the legacy.

“If West Ham move in and keep the track, that’s fine – but I’m absolutely horrified at the thought of Tottenham being allowed to flatten the site within a few months of London hosting the Olympics.

“I’m very passionate about athletics, and there is no way it should be bulldozed to make way for football – what a waste of public money.

“I grew up on the outskirts of east London and I know how desperate we are for tracks here.

“We are crying out for new ­facilities, and I cannot ­comprehend the logic of building that stadium just to take it down again.”

Gunnell’s attack echoed London 2012 chief Lord Sebastian Coe’s warning that British sport’s ­international reputation would be “trashed” if Tottenham were handed the keys to Stratford.

Coe insists Britain has a “moral obligation” to deliver the multi-sport legacy he promised when London made its winning pitch.

He said: “I have nothing to add to my position, except to observe there’s a strength of feeling out there and it’s right that we discuss the legacy now rather than when the Olympic Games have come to town and moved on.”

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Posted in: 2012 London Olympic,2012 London Olympics,2012 Olympics venue,London 2012 Olympic,London 2012 Stadium