By Jacquelin Magnay, Olympics Editor
Source: www.dailytelegraph.co.uk
A fresh ticketing row has enveloped London 2012 Olympic organisers as angry parents of athletes are turned away at Games venues.
Parents and friends of Swedish and Singaporean swimmers as well as a host of other countries have been refused access into the aquatics centre over the past two nights, missing seeing their loved ones compete, while other parents have had hours of angst trying to sort tickets at the last minute.
Adding to their woes were the pictures of empty seats in prime positions.
The issue hasn't been confined to the aquatics centre. Parents have missed tennis matches at Wimbledon and only been able to get into Eton Dorney for the rowing and Excel for the boxing after fraught negotiations.
Gunilla Lindberg, a senior International Olympic Committee member intimately familiar with the London preparations as she was also on the London Coordination Commission, said the issue was chaotic and distracting for many athletes.
''It is so confusing for everyone. Parents keep calling the athletes, no one knows where the tickets are and it is not very good preparation for the athletes to be so stressed about it,'' she said.
The parents and friends ticket programme entitles every athlete to buy two tickets for each session in which they compete. But the Ticketmaster ticketing system used by Locog to administer the programme has not been able to update in time for each final - detaling which athletes are eligible to puchase the tickets.
Then the distribution of the tickets has, in the words of one team chef de mission become '' a complete nightmare''.
Locog has changed the system, telling the foreign teams that tickets for the programme could be picked up at venues, but the officials at the venue have not been informed and have refused the parents admission.
''This is chaos, no one knows about the system,'' said Lindberg. ''But I don't know how it is going to be sorted as it is so complex and this is the first games this programme has been used.''
The International Olympic Committee has been so concerned about the issue it has been repeatedly raised at the early morning joint briefing with Locog and government.
This morning at the chefs de mission meeting at the Olympic Village it was a major topic of debate.
The IOC told the Telegraph: ''This is the first time that this particular service has been offered to athletes and it comes on top of all the other ways that athletes can see the Games. It has been working for a number of months for those that pre-qualified and clearly, with such a new system, especially during the Games, when the turnaround time may only be a matter of hours, there may be challenges but LOCOG is working to fine tune the services with the NOCs and ATRs.''
Earlier Tessa Jowell called on Lord Coe to use his "muscle" to resolve the empty seat issue at the Olympics today.
Tessa Jowell, the shadow Olympics minister, has called on Games organiser Lord Coe to ensure sports fans are given tickets for empty venue seats 'today'.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, Mrs Jowell said: “The IOC have got to be part of the solution to this particular problem, these accredited seats remaining empty.
"However, we can’t wait for that medium-term resolution. We’ve got to get people into those seats today tomorrow and the next day and I think the measures Seb Coe announced yesterday go quite a long way in relation to that, together with the recycling of tickets for people who are already in the park.
"This is very important for the confidence of the British public and what I’m struck by is that the sponsors certainly don’t seem to be the bad guys in this at.
"They have really responded to public expectation that these are not fat cat games but two of our major companies – the majority of tickets have gone to staff or who are active in their local community, or they’ve gone to people beyond the board level of the sponsors and I’m sure that is a more general theme.
"We need the federations to be as responsive as many of the sponsors.”
She added that Lord Coe could exercise “muscle” in facing up to the federations not using their tickets.
“He’s done a fabulous job in leading these Olympic Games, being the face of the Olympic Games. He’s highly respected in every part and now is the time when he can exercise maximum muscle in saying to these federations: ‘Look your reputation is on the line here and it’s not fair to the British many of whom have not been able to get to the Games.”
Mrs Jowell said that the London 2012 Games would be among the most "democratic" ever to take place, with the public truly taking part in events such as the mass bell ring which was held on the morning of the Opening Ceremony.
GAMES
Twitter blamed for jamming Olympic information during cycle road race
By Andrew Warshaw at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London
Source: www.insidethegames.biz
In the first broadcasting controversy of London 2012, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) pledged today that the problems which beset yesterday's men's cycle road race were "teething troubles" which would not be repeated.
The BBC and other broadcasters registered concerns with the IOC about a lack of key timing data that left millions of viewers baffled and unable to follow the race properly.
The IOC's broadcasting arm, Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), provides TV pictures to networks around the world.
But for large periods of time yesterday there was no information about the gaps between the various teams with OBS unable to supply crucial information to commentators.
With around one million people lining the roads for the race networks became jammed by too much tweeting, preventing organisers from receiving crucial timing and positional updates.
As a result, said IOC spokesman Mark Adams, crucial GPS data could not be received.
He said that OBS was now attempting to disperse its communications onto other networks so that information could be received.
"From my understanding one network was oversubscribed and OBS are trying to spread the load to other providers," said Adams.
"We don't want to stop people engaging in social media and sending updates, but perhaps they might consider only sending urgent updates.
"Of course, if you want to send something, we are not going to say 'Don't, you can't do it', and we would certainly never prevent people.
"It's just [a case of] if it's not an urgent, urgent one, please take it easy."
Adams said talks had taken place late last night and early this morning in attempt to solve the issue.
"We are taking action on a number of things," he said.
"It's a network issue, teething troubles, and it is that which we are working on."
St Kitts/Nevis' Williams sent home
St. Kitts & Nevis sprinter Tameka Williams has been sent home from the London Olympics by her team for a potential drug violation.
Williams had been using a substance which was "clearly oyesteron Sunday.
Knight said Williams had not tested positive, but the team acted after consulting with the World Anti-Doping Agency "to find out about the product."
"In discussions with our team management, she volunteered to them that she had been using a particular substance which, when we did our own investigations, we considered to be outside the accepted medical code," Knight said.
Williams told team officials about using the substance — which the team has not disclosed — in a pre-Olympics training camp.
"It was a matter of the management of the team doing their due diligence," Knight said.
The 22-year-old Williams had qualified for the 100 and 200 metres, and gave samples for anti-doping tests at national Olympic trials last month.
"It was not based on any positive drug test. She turned up a clean test," Knight said.
Williams marched at the Olympic opening ceremony on Friday as the only woman in a seven-member team from the Caribbean islands, who are all track sprinters. The best known is five-time Olympian Kim Collins.
Knight said St Kitts team officials sought expert advice in London before acting.
"We wanted to consult with the anti-doping fraternity," he said. "We are a very tiny country with limited knowledge of these things."
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Indians upset by mystery woman marching alongside them in Opening Ceremony
India have complained to London 2012 over an apparent security lapse during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics last night when an unidentified woman walked alongside flag-bearer Sushil Kumar during the athletes' parade.
The young woman, dressed in a red shirt and blue trousers, marched next to the weightlifter, a bronze medallist at Beijing four years ago, despite having no visible accreditation.
India's Chef de Mission P K Muralidharan Raja has now complained to London 2012 about the incident which has become the main talking point in India about the much-praised Opening Ceremony.
"She had no business to walk in with the Indian contingent and we are taking up the issue with the organisers," he said.
"We don't know who she is and why she was allowed to walk in.
"It is a shame that she was with the athletes in the march past.
"We were initially told that she would accompany the contingent till the track but she went on to take the entire lap.
"There was another man also but he stayed back and did not enter the Stadium.
"We have taken strong exception to this.
"The march past is for the athletes and officials attached to the contingent.
"We are totally taken by surprise how a person could just intrude into the track."
A total of 40 Indian athletes and 11 officials dressed in traditional blazers and Rajasthani yellow turbans or yellow sarees marched in the Opening Ceremony, earning one of the biggest cheers of the evening.
"The Indian contingent was shown for hardly ten seconds in the television coverage and the entire focus sadly was on this lady, instead of the athletes," said Raja.
It is a major issue for Raja to take over having only been promoted to the role of Chef de Mission on the eve of the Opening Ceremony after Ajitpal Singh, the original choice, was unable to travel here due to a serious back problem.
By Duncan Mackay at the Main Press Centre in the Olympic Park in London
Source: www.insidethegames.biz
London Olympics 2012, here we are
Is it the tension which precedes the entry to our Olympic challenge, or are you mesmerised by the spectacular dressings of that great city called London where the Bridge, The Palace, the river Thames, and the bustling old-fashioned taxis which mix with buses, trains, subway and overhead, all fitting snugly into space that often appear insufficient on a normal day. And while the athletes from almost every country (204) in the world have presented an enthusiastic, scintillating and colourful entry into the Olympic stadium, the fans of every sporting discipline will be present to ensure that Olympic history in brought to life four years after Beijing 2008. In open bars, around the parks of central London, Hyde Park, St James Park, the so called soap box Parliament at Hyde Park Corner, human voices using various languages, each representing a nation with obvious dialect, come together to create an atmosphere reminiscent of a carnival without bacchanal, surrounded by an unassuming, but alert police presence. With the brilliant start which saw a brazilian dominace on the football field, where flair and creativity mesmerised the Cameroun Women and the following day, the pain of the Egyptian politics was not spared by the men’s version of football’s ingenuity when the enthusiastic Egyptians chased around a plush field for forty-five minutes in search of a ball that seemed harder for them to find than a needle in a haystack.The resilience of the Mubarak stained country’s youth showed their fight and surprised south Americans with speed and lethal finishing which led us to believe that the commitment to the sport has surpassed the turmoil of the past year in Cairo. The enjoyment gained from such an exercise was enough for the fans to take a deep breath on the opening day and await more excitement in the days to come. Ironically enough, the chosen Olympic City is clustered with international Cricket, super exciting football from various parts of the world live on TV with teams like Manchester United, Chelsea, AC Milan, Manchester city and many other world Class teams. It appears contrary to what the British was trying to market and one day the financial statistics may reveal the details of the end result. Then there is the constant hum coming from the Jamaicans and fans as to which of their world Class sprinters will earn the gold medals in the sprints. All interpretations echoed different formulas as to Bolt’s fitness. Some claimed that he is now fit and ready to take on all comers, including Yohan Blake, and will keep his success trail as he did between London and Beijing. But, hold a minute! The people friendly triple Gold medallist of the Beijing Olympics, may well be jolted over the new of his close friend and schoolmate will not make the trip to London because of a charge of double murder which has been laid against him recently. If the reports are true about the closeness of these two individuals are correct, Usain may have a serious bug to remove from his mental frame.
Others silently saw his recent withdrawal from what would have been his final preparation before the start of his Olympic Gold chase as a significant piece of evidence that all is still not well and may be just hoping to devise a method of pacing himself from the first round to the final. Possible, but we all have to wait and see. Our women athletes keep sending us some positive messages, not only in Cardiff last week, but for the past three months, and it will be unwise to ignore them. Their opponents are concerned over the recent improvement of Kerry Ann Baptiste , Cleopatra Borell and others, because of the times and distances which are alongside their names at every event. The men’s optimism should not be underestimated although statistics do not quite reflect any level of exuberance other patriotism. The build leading up to the present time, exposes keston bledman and Ronerl Sorillo as the ones leading towards a well judged peaktime, while we all have to await the arrival of the Richard Thompson when he leaves his final technical training before arriving in London. Trinis who have made the trip to provide patriotic support for the Red/white. And black of T&T will hope to erupt and bring London to a liveliness which only exists at Nottinghill carnival.
A Few whispers are about our young and exciting sailor Andrew Lewis, our cycling medal contender Njisane Phillips , together our marksman Roger Daniel. The twin Island state has much to which we can look forward. The atmosphere is electrifying in the Land that was once associated with us. We treasured their guidance then, and we even offered our Olympic gem of that era McDonald Bailey to them. His success was our way of showing the extra ordinary talent of our people. Today, there are many ageing athletes of yesteryear from this blessed country who are eagerly awaiting those who will add to the medal cabinet. Oh, how will Lennox Kilgour, Rodney Wilkes, Wendell Mottley, Edwain Roberts, Kent Bernard, Ed Skinner, ( who is actually present in London), our Olympic Gold medallist Hasely Crawford , and Ato Boldon feel if Richard Thompson can inspire the group of contenders to another glorious moment to make this a wonderful gift to celebrate our fiftieth Anniversary of Independence. And if, like myself, you will be there to show support and allegiance to our country, our own Caribbean Airlines is ready to take you safely to the destination.
-Alvin Corneal
Source: www.guardian.co.tt
Greene: Technical issues make Bolt vulnerable
Olympic 100-metre champion Usain Bolt will lose his crown to compatriot Yohan Blake unless he quickly fixes technical problems with his race, former world record holder Maurice Greene told Reuters yesterday.
The American said Bolt's vulnerability in the first 60 metres, already exposed this year by the younger Jamaican, gave his rivals the scent of gold that was absent in Beijing four years ago.
"If Usain was running like he was in Beijing, he would win hands down," said the 2000 Olympic gold medallist. "But he is not running like that."
Body position out of the starting blocks and in the first 60 metres are hurting the world's most famous sprinter, Greene said.
"Those problems...bring everybody closer to him, which makes him susceptible to losing," said Greene, who is serving as a television analyst at the Games.
"Usain is the more talented, but Blake has a better technical race," added Greene, who correctly predicted Blake would win last year's 100m world championship in which Bolt false-started.
Blake, the year's fastest at both 100 and 200, also prevailed in last month's Jamaican Olympic trials in which Bolt was slowed by hamstring problems.
Although there has been much speculation about Bolt's fitness, Greene said he did not believe he is currently injured.
"All of his problems are technical," Greene said.
Bolt looked sluggish in both Jamaican races, prompting many to predict the lanky sprinter would fail in his bid for a repeat in the 100.
He badly wants both golds to secure his place as a great in the sport he dominates. No man has ever claimed repeat Olympic titles in both.
Bolt will win the 200 hands down, Greene said, but there will be no runaway victory by anyone in the 100.
"Not unless the freak comes out in Usain Bolt," said Greene when asked if anyone could duplicate the Jamaican's two-tenths of a second victory in Beijing.
"He is only one that can do that. He might be capable of doing it again. I just don't see from the races I have seen that he is in that type of shape."
Beyond Bolt and Blake, the race for the bronze is wide open, Greene said.
Americans Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay, Jamaican former world record holder Asafa Powell and Trinidad and Tobago's Keston Bledman all should be in the mix for the final medal.
Gay, the world's second fastest man, has the speed to run with the best when healthy, but Greene said he was concerned about his hesitancy to go all out at the start because of hip surgery that kept him off the track for nearly a year.
Gatlin's tendency to rush his transition could cost the 2004 Olympic champion who served a four-year doping ban between 2006-10, Greene said.
Powell has the talent, but his poor record in major championships makes him suspect.
"If he is relaxed, he might beat everybody," Greene said.
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