London UK Information - Latest Blog Entries

Remaining 900 000 Olympic Games tickets are released for sale

Mon, 14 May 2012 18:44:00 +0200

Those unlucky enough to have missed out on tickets to the London Olympics twice already may still stand a chance of getting seats for the games.

Up to 900,000 tickets for this summer's events - including those to the most sought-after events such as the men's 100m final - will go on sale on Friday morning.

Around 20,000 people, all of whom applied unsuccessfully to the first two rounds to tickets, are eligible for the special 31-hour sales window from 11am.

As well as tickets to prime athletics events being up for grabs, seats for the opening and closing ceremonies will also be on sale.

From Sunday, the 1million others who were unsuccessful in the first ticket ballot in March last year and who did not try to buy any in the second sales window will be offered a five-day window to buy remaining tickets.

In an attempt to minimise the difficulties experienced by the Ticketmaster system in previous rounds, tickets for different sports will go on sale each day.

Managing director of Ticketmaster, Chris Edmonds, warned however that it could take 20 minutes of 'queuing' and that many fans would still be likely to be left disappointed.

He said: 'Hundreds of thousands of people could be hitting the website and there is potentially going to be some slowing up in the ticketing process.

'You will have the scenario where you can have four tickets left for a session and 1,000 people trying to get them. The reality is that only one can be successful and the other 999 will get a message saying they have
been unsuccessful.'

Wimbledon Tennis Championships 2012 Social Media Applications

Mon, 14 May 2012 18:09:00 +0200

Use the following Social Media links to follow the latest news directly from the official Wimbledon Social Media tools:

Wimbledon Online

Facebook__ Official Facebook Page

Twitter____ @wimbledon

10 Facts about the Olympic Games in London 2012

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:00:00 +0200

London Olympics Search Facts - Top Google Search Trends

By the summer of 2008, the majority of the site was cleared and cleaned. "The big build" could now begin. Works on all the permanent venues on the Olympic Park are making good progress: the Olympic Stadium, the Aquatics Centre, the International Broadcast Centre and Main Press Centre (IBC/ MPC), the Velo Park, the Olympic Village and Handball Arena; they are all under construction. The enhanced sailing facilities at Weymouth and Portland are the first London 2012 venue to be finished at this stage.

Athough no medals are won yet, There are many mind blowing records to reveal already about the London 2012 Games. Here are a few interesting facts and figures.

Facts About the Olympic Games in London 2012

7.7 million Olympic Games tickets will be available for London 2012.
2000 newts will be relocated from the Olympic Park to the Waterworks Nature Reserve.
200 km of cabling will be used for the underground powerlines (this is the equivalent of the distance between London and Nottingham).
8.35 km of waterways will be within or close to the Olympic Park (this is the equivalent of 167 lengths of a 50 m swimming pool).
800,000 people are expected to use public transport to travel to the Games on the busiest day. This is more than the entire population of Leeds.
53m will be the height of the Olympic Stadion. This is three metres taller than Nelson's Column.
205 Nations will be competing at the London 2012 Games.
4,000 trees will be planted on the Olympic Park and Olympic Village sites. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth planted the first tree in October 2009 on the Olympic Stadium site.
90% of material that will be reclaimed from demolition within the Olympic park can be reused or recycled.
Approximately 260,000 loaves of bread are expected to be consumed at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Read more at Suite101: London 2012 - the Olympic Games: Ten Amazing Facts About the 2012 Olympics

London 2012 Olympics: Travel Packages and Vacation Deals

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200

The Olympics is one of the biggest sporting events in the world and to ensure you have a good trip it is best to plan out your 2012 summer Olympics travel in advance. The 2012 Olympics will be held in London. This is a major transportation hub for the UK as well as Europe so travel will be fairly straightforward as long as you do not leave it until the last minute.

London is a busy city and it will be even more crowded during the Olympics. It will not be possible to just show up and find accommodation. Reservations are essential! Book early and check out what accommodation is available. Be assured that any family with an extra room will be renting it out during the Olympics. If you wait until it is too late then you may end up staying somewhere that is not too nice or clean. This can make a great Olympics trip very disappointing.

To get good deals try to book as soon as possible. Most hotels will offer a full refund if you should need to cancel so booking before you have tickets is an option.

Some travel companies have yet to post their travel packages. They will take your e-mail and send information when it is available. Try to gather as much information as possible. Once you have the details do not take too long deciding. It is best to have a budget in place and then choose what best fits the events you want to see and your budget.

Read more >>

London 2012 Olympics: Travel Packages and Vacation Deals

Wenlock and Mandeville as London Olympic merchandise / mascot sellers?

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200

Wenlock and Mandeville get little love. The criticism of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic mascots has veered between the magnificent ("they look like the consequence of a drunken one-night stand between a Teletubby and the Michelin man") and the slightly bizarre ("patronising rubbish").

Yet London 2012 organisers believe that the gruesome twosome will lead the merchandising push and take total sales of Olympic key rings, soft toys, stickers, backpacks and limited-edition playing cards to £1bn. About £80m of this will go directly to the games organising committee and be put towards the £2bn operating budget.

Dedicated London 2012 souvenir shops can now be found at Heathrow Terminal Five and Paddington and St Pancras rail stations.

The Department for Business held an exhibition last week celebrating the paraphernalia and the companies behind their manufacture. Mark Prisk, a Business minister, gushed: "The UK companies on display here, and thousands more, are using London 2012 to export their products and services around the world as well as expanding their companies and employing more people."

As the previous five summer Olympics show, merchandising has become big business.

$163m

Beijing 2008

The Beijing Organising Committee developed more than 2,000 products bearing the Games logo – including T-shirts, caps and bags – with a total of 10,000 licensed stores selling the products. More than 60 companies became sponsors or partners of the Beijing games, and Olympic-related advertising in China alone reached an estimated $4bn to $6bn, according to CSM, a marketing research firm. Companies became "official noodles sponsor" or the "official leather goods supplier". Sponsors and merchandisers targeted the 300 million middle-class Chinese consumers as well as the overseas visitors for the games. The five "Fuwa" good luck dolls – representing among others a giant panda and a Tibetan antelope – helped to bring in a record merchandising revenue from licensees of $163m. Beijing even launched an Olympic Expo during the games, demonstrating how sophisticated the Olympic movement's marketing strategy has become since it first introduced official mascots in Munich 36 years earlier.

$17.2m

Barcelona 1992

This was arguably the last games of the non-commercial era, though some would point to the huge leap in broadcasting revenue for the 1984 Los Angeles games as the key change in the Olympic movement's ambitions. Like the Seoul Olympics four years earlier, revenue from licensee merchandising at Barcelona was less than $20m. From 1996, no games would make less than two and a half times that amount. Still, the organisers experimented with ways of turning CoBi, the Picasso-inspired sheepdog, into the face of the games, even launching his own television series, The Cobi Troupe. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) seems to have pinned most of its merchandising hopes on philatelists and numismatists: a 1,230,000 stamp series bearing the Olympic rings was issued in 137 countries, while 624,000 silver and gold coins were sold for $49m. In retrospect, Barcelona was possibly a merchandising opportunity missed: more than nine out of 10 people in Spain, the UK and US tuned into the games.

$61.5m

Athens 2004

Phevos and Athena were supposed to resemble seventh-century BC terracotta dolls and were named after Phoebus Apollo, the god of light and music, and Athena, goddess of wisdom and patron of the city of Athens. The mascots upset the Greek Society for the Friends of the Ancients which threatened to sue Athens organisers, claiming the revered names for the mascots were a mockery of ancients. The Greece and the Athens Olympic Organising Committee raised barely $60m in Olympic licensing and merchandising – just 2 per cent of budgetted revenue. In contrast, broadcast revenue was nearly $1.5bn after a record 220 countries and territories televised the event.

$52m

Sydney 2000

Only the commercially driven Atlanta Games had more licensees than Sydney's 100. Mind you, with three mascots there was a lot more scope for products to sell. Millie the echidna, Olly the kookaburra (above) and Syd the platypus represented earth, air and water, but they failed to represent big money and licensee revenue virtually halved to $52m. It didn't help that the good-natured trio got savaged by the unofficial mascot, Fatso the wombat, who spoofed the trio on Australian television. However, Sydney did pave the way for modern merchandising techniques, with online retailing used for the first time and products coded with the DNA of renowned Olympic athletes to ensure authenticity.

$91m

Atlanta 1996

Olympic mascots have always faced criticism, with few being adored bar Moscow's Misha the bear. But as Olympic mascots go, Izzy is a candidate for the most disliked. One sports commentator said it resembles "a genetic experiment gone horribly wrong". Despite the attacks, it was reported at the time that $250m worth of Atlanta mascot merchandise was sold. The Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games opened a dedicated shop, the Olympic Experience, to sell merchandise competing with other street vendors and retailers. More than $800m of merchandise was sold in the run-up to the games, of which $91m went to the organising committee.

Source : http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/going-for-gold-the-2012-olympic-merchandisers-2233453.html

Full route map of 70-day, 8,000-mile Games relay revealed

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200

Olympic Torch Route Map

A street-by-street map of London 2012's 8,000-mile Olympic torch relay across the UK and Ireland has been launched.

Running from Land's End to as far as the Outer Hebrides and Dublin, every inch of road it will go on has been plotted so Britons can find out just how close they can get to the iconic symbol of the Olympic movement.

The relay, involving 8,000 torchbearers, is set to ignite interest in the Games during its 70-day epic journey, and will come within 10 miles of 95 per cent of the population.

After being flown in from Greece it will eventually arrive at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford, east London, for the opening ceremony of the Games on July 27.
An average of 115 torchbearers a day will carry the flame during the nationwide relay, from May 19 to July 27.

There will be seven island visits: to the Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Guernsey, Jersey, Shetland, Orkney and the Isle of Lewis.

The locations have been confirmed by organisers, taking in famous sports venues, historic sites and places of outstanding natural beauty.

On most days of the relay, the Olympic Flame will travel for 12 hours each day ending in an evening celebration event.

London 2012 Olympics: 10 of the most watched Olympic Events of modern times

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200

Over the years, the Olympic Games have drawn in viewers from every corner of the world. There are only a few nations on our planet who aren't represented in at least one sport. And if a person owns a television, then their eyes are probably tuned to the tube for the summer or winter Olympics. Of all the Olympic events out there, some have to be the most watched.

Though it varies from year to year, simple polls give us an idea of what the public likes and what they don't. Since they do vary so, it's hard to give them in any set order 1-10. The fact is, people will always change what they like, just like the athletes will always change.

The first to make the list is volleyball. Indoor volleyball is popular, but beach volleyball received astronomical numbers in the 2004 Olympics. On both the men's and women's side, the athletes dueled like gladiators in the sand, giving their blood, sweat and tears for their chance to stand on the podium. A fast-paced, exciting sport, volleyball will remain a top-watched sport for years to come.

The next is Basketball. A game formerly belonging to only the American's, Olympic Basketball is now up for grabs, with Spain and Greece trying to keep the USA from that gold medal.

The Men's 100m final goes by like a bolt of lightening. With some of the world's fastest young men running this short race, eyes need to be fixated on the television or you're bound to miss the winner.

Year after year, gymnastics make the list as one of the most watched events during the Olympic Games. Young girls start training as soon as they can walk, giving all they can in hopes of walking away with the gold. Fans appreciate the effort and athleticism, and return the favor in the form of good ratings.

With increasing danger, Equestrian events make a surprising appearance as a most-watched. With the highest injury and death toll of any other Olympic event, these brave riders captivate an audience - maybe for all the wrong reasons.

This sport is projected to be among the most-watched this coming year. Men's Tennis is talked about on every sports channel nationwide. With Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal starring for their respective countries, we're bound to see a rematch of Wimbledon.

The Triathlon has a place in many viewers' hearts. As a grueling test of endurance, athletes are pushed to the limit in swimming, cycling, and running.

Swimming events rank high on the list as well. Whether it's the relay, backstroke, freestyle, or marathon, fans seem to love watching their favorite athletes dart through the water.

It may not be an actual event, but it's the glue that holds the entire Olympic Games together. The Opening Ceremony with the lighting of the torch has drawn in more views than any 2 events combined over the last few Olympics. It's something that every nation in the world can root for.

Wrestling hangs on to make the list. This isn't the WWE, with fake battle-cries and makeup. These ultimate warriors use brute strength and pure skill to pin opponents and score points.http://blog.casinoman.net/10-of-the-most-watched-olympic-events.113.asp#

London 2012 Olympics - Interesting Olympic Facts

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200

The Official Olympic Flag
Created by Pierre de Coubertin in 1914, the Olympic flag contains five interconnected rings on a white background. The five rings symbolize the five significant continents and are interconnected to symbolize the friendship to be gained from these international competitions. The rings, from left to right, are blue, yellow, black, green, and red. The colors were chosen because at least one of them appeared on the flag of every country in the world. The Olympic flag was first flown during the 1920 Olympic Games.

The Olympic Motto
In 1921, Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games, borrowed a Latin phrase from his friend, Father Henri Didon, for the Olympic motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius ("Swifter, Higher, Stronger").

The Olympic Oath
Pierre de Coubertin wrote an oath for the athletes to recite at each Olympic Games. During the opening ceremonies, one athlete recites the oath on behalf of all the athletes. The Olympic oath was first taken during the 1920 Olympic Games by Belgian fencer Victor Boin. The Olympic Oath states, "In the name of all competitors, I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules that govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams."

The Olympic Creed
Pierre de Coubertin got the idea for this phrase from a speech given by Bishop Ethelbert Talbot at a service for Olympic champions during the 1908 Olympic Games. The Olympic Creed reads: "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

The Olympic Flame
The Olympic flame is a practice continued from the ancient Olympic Games. In Olympia (Greece), a flame was ignited by the sun and then kept burning until the closing of the Olympic Games. The flame first appeared in the modern Olympics at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. The flame itself represents a number of things, including purity and the endeavor for perfection. In 1936, the chairman of the organizing committee for the 1936 Olympic Games, Carl Diem, suggested what is now the modern Olympic Torch relay. The Olympic flame is lit at the ancient site of Olympia by women wearing ancient-style robes and using a curved mirror and the sun. The Olympic Torch is then passed from runner to runner from the ancient site of Olympia to the Olympic stadium in the hosting city. The flame is then kept alight until the Games have concluded. The Olympic Torch relay represents a continuation from the ancient Olympic Games to the modern Olympics.

The Olympic Hymn
The Olympic Hymn, played when the Olympic Flag is raised, was composed by Spyros Samaras and the words added by Kostis Palamas. The Olympic Hymn was first played at the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens but wasn't declared the official hymn by the IOC until 1957.

Real Gold Medals
The last Olympic gold medals that were made entirely out of gold were awarded in 1912.

The Medals
The Olympic medals are designed especially for each individual Olympic Games by the host city's organizing committee. Each medal must be at least three millimeters thick and 60 millimeters in diameter. Also, the gold and silver Olympic medals must be made out of 92.5 percent silver, with the gold medal covered in six grams of gold.

The First Opening Ceremonies
The first opening ceremonies were held during the 1908 Olympic Games in London.

Opening Ceremony Procession Order
During the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, the procession of athletes is always led by the Greek team, followed by all the other teams in alphabetical order (in the language of the hosting country), except for the last team which is always the team of the hosting country.

A City, Not a Country
When choosing locations for the Olympic Games, the IOC specifically gives the honor of holding the Games to a city rather than a country.

IOC Diplomats
In order to make the IOC an independent organization, the members of the IOC are not considered diplomats from their countries to the IOC, but rather are diplomats from the IOC to their respective countries.

First Modern Champion
James B. Connolly (United States), winner of the hop, step, and jump (the first final event in the 1896 Olympics), was the first Olympic champion of the modern Olympic Games.

The First Marathon
In 490 BCE, Pheidippides, a Greek soldier, ran from Marathon to Athens (about 25 miles) to inform the Athenians the outcome of the battle with invading Persians. The distance was filled with hills and other obstacles; thus Pheidippides arrived in Athens exhausted and with bleeding feet. After telling the townspeople of the Greeks' success in the battle, Pheidippides fell to the ground dead. In 1896, at the first modern Olympic Games, held a race of approximately the same length in commemoration of Pheidippides.

More Information - http://history1900s.about.com/od/greateventsofthecentury/a/olympicfacts.htm

Download>> London 2012 Olympic Countdown clock / widgets

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200

2012 Olympics

Click to Download London 2012 Olympic Countdown Clock

Summer Olympics : Host Cities Athens 1896 - London 2012

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200

Olympic Host City	Year Games Held
London	2012
Beijing	2008
Athens	2004
Sydney	2000
Atlanta	1996
Barcelona	1992
Seoul	1988
Los Angeles	1984
Moscow	1980
Montreal	1976
Munich	1972
Mexico City	1968
Tokyo	1964
Rome	1960
Melbourne	1956
Helsinki	1952
London	1948
Berlin	1936
Los Angeles	1932
Amsterdam	1928
Paris	1924
Antwerp	1920
Stockholm	1912
London	1908
St Louis	1904
Paris	1900
Athens	1896

http://www.pubquizhelp.com/sport/solympics.html

India target record medal haul at London Olympics 2012

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200

January 2- India's Government has set its team a target of winning 12 medals at next year's London Olympics - four times more than they claimed at Beijing in 2008, which itself was their best-ever performance.

But India has been buoyed by its success at last year's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, where they finished second to Australia in the overall medals table with a total of 101 medals, 38 of which were gold.

Rahul Bhatnagar, a joint secretary with India's Sports Ministry and currently heading the International Sports Division (ISD), now wants them to build on that momentum in London.

"We will choose certain 'core probables' among the sports persons and focus our resources on them," said Bhatnagar.

"We are targeting 10-12 medals for 2012."

But he knows that just qualifying for some sports in London will represent the height of achievement.

"Being the host country for the Commonwealth Games, we didn't have to enter any qualifying events but that will not be the case for London 2012," he said.

Since India made its debut in the Olympics in Paris in 1900 it has only ever won a total of 20 medals, nine of them gold.

Eight of them have come in hockey and it was not until Abhinav Bindra won the men's 10 metre air rifle in Beijing that they claimed an individual gold.

They also won two other medals in the Chinese capital, bronzes for wrestler Sushil Kumar and boxer Vijender Kumar.

Vijender Kumar who fights in the men's middleweight category, has resisted overtures to turn professional to remain amateur to try to chase gold in London.

He has been receiving sponsorship from Sahara India and won a gold medal in the Asian Games in Guangzhou last year, following up the bronze he had collected in the Commonwealth Games.

"Earlier the coverage of a sport like boxing was limited to a couple of lines," said Kumar.

"Now it has widened to a big story and a large picture.

"We should perform even better in 2012.

"But for that we need more money so that a career in sports can be a lucrative option."

Other major Indian medal hopes expected to compete in London include badminton's Saina Nehwal, shooters Tejaswini Sawant and Gagan Narang and female boxer Mary Kom.

"We are targeting three golds in London in 2012," said Viren Rasquinha, the former India hockey captain and chief operating officer of Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ), a not-for-profit initiative started by billiards champion Geet Sethi and badminton champ Prakash Padukone.

"For 2016 [in Rio de Janeiro], the target is seven or eight golds."

http://insidethegames.biz/summer-olympics/2012/11510-india-target-record-medal-haul-at-london-2012

Diamond Jubilee 2012 - Queen Elizabeth II 60 years on the throne

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200

A "nationwide celebration" will be held to mark The Queen's Diamond Jubilee, the government has announced.

Events to mark The Queen's 60 years on the throne will take place in the first weekend of June 2012, with an extra bank holiday being created.

Lord Mandelson said it would be a "truly historic occasion" which would allow the British people to show their "pride and affection" for The Queen.

He also announced that Greenwich would become a royal borough.

The Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002 was marked by celebrations across the UK, including a royal tour and a pop concert featuring guitarist Brian May playing a God Save the Queen solo from the roof of Buckingham Palace.

First Secretary of State Lord Mandelson told peers that a series of "fitting events" would be held in the summer to 2012 to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and that planning was at an early stage.

'Remarkable achievement'

He said the government had agreed to grant an additional bank holiday on Tuesday 5 June to provide a focal point for the celebrations.

In addition, the traditional Bank Holiday at the end of May will, in 2012, be moved to 4 June to make it a four day weekend.

He said that although bank holidays were a devolved matter the government would "work closely" with the Scottish Government "to ensure that people across the United Kingdom can celebrate the jubilee together".

Noting that Queen Victoria was the only previous British monarch to have reigned for 60 years, Lord Mandelson said 2012 would be a "landmark year".

Hailing The Queen's time as sovereign as "near-perfect", Lord Mandelson said the celebrations would give the British people the opportunity to show their "great pride and affection" for the Queen and her contribution to British life.

"People across the whole country will want the chance to recognise this remarkable achievement," he said.

Special commemorative medals are to be issued to mark the anniversary, with recipients likely to be those who have shown "tremendous service" to the country.

Olympics

Lord Mandelson said he would consult on this and said he would also consider other suggestions including a special horse race - reflecting the Queen's love of equine interests - to mark the event.

Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne in February 1952 after the death of her father, King George VI.

The Diamond Jubilee weekend will take place just weeks before the start of the London Olympics with host of other events are likely to take place in the monarch's honour such as a service of thanksgiving, possibly at St Paul's Cathedral.

Republic, which supports an elected head of state in the UK, said 2012 should see a "meaningful debate" on the future of the monarchy and proposals for "serious reform".

"If we want an extra public holiday, aren't there better dates to choose from?" said spokesman Graham Smith.

"Armistice Day would be a good start, recognising those ordinary men and women who make real sacrifices for our country."

Source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8441972.stm

Starting Dates for London Olympic and Paralympic Games 2012

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200

London 2012 Olympic Games - Opening Ceremony
Friday, 27 July 2012

London Olympic Games 2012
27 July - 12 August 20\12

London Paralympic Games
17 August - 9 September 2012

Shakespeare: Plays in 38 languages for 2012 Olympics

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200

London, Jan 21 (AFP) Each of William Shakespeare''s 38 plays will be performed in a different language, includingArabic, Spanish and Urdu, during a a theatre season in Britainto mark the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Shakespeare''s Globe theatre in the British capital saidThursday it would host the special season over six weeks,beginning next year on April 23, the playwright''s birthday.

Shows will included "The Taming of the Shrew" in Urdu,starring Pakistani television star Nadia Jamil as Katherine,and "King Lear" in Australian Aboriginal languages.

Other performances include "Julius Caesar" in Italian,"Troilus and Cressida" in Maori, "The Tempest" in Arabic and"Love''s Labour''s Lost" in British sign language.

"The Globe will create an international Shakespearecommunity in the heart of London, as a prelude to theinternationalism which will fill the capital later in the yearwith the Olympics," said the Globe''s artistic director DominicDromgoole.

The project is part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiadwhich was set up in 2008 to celebrate the Olympics.

The Globe is a reconstruction of a theatre where many ofShakespeare''s plays were performed before it burnt down in1613. (AFP) AH

Source : One India News

http://news.oneindia.in/2011/01/21/shakespeareplays-in-38-languages-for-2012olympics-aid0126.html

London 2012 Olympic Ticket Resellers in Asia

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200

Source : http://www.london2012.com Authorised Ticket Resellers

Bahrain

Bahrain Olympic Committee
Shaikh Ahmed Bin Hamad Al-Khalifa
PO Box 26406
Manama
Kingdom of Bahrain

+973 178 21206

Email olympic@batelco.com.bh

Bangladesh

Kingdom Sports Group
PO Box 41
1800 Ashfield, Sydney , NSW
Australia

+61 2 9797 2992

http://www.kingdomsg.com

Bhutan

Bhutan Olympic Committee
Post Box 939
Thimphu
Bhutan

Email bhutannoc@gmail.com

Brunei Darussalam

Kingdom Sports Group
PO Box 41
1800 Ashfield, Sydney , NSW
Australia

+61 2 9797 2992

http://www.kingdomsg.com

Cambodia

Kingdom Sports Group
PO Box 41
1800 Ashfield, Sydney , NSW
Australia

+61 2 9797 2992

http://www.kingdomsg.com

Chinese Taipei

Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee
Chu-lun St. 20
104 Taipei Chinese Taipei

http://www.tpenoc.net

Hong Kong, China

Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China
2/F Olympic House
1 Stadium Path, So Kon Po, Causeway Bay
Hong Kong China

http://www.hkolympic.org

India

Indian Olympic Association
Olympic Bhavan
B-29, Qutub Institutional Area
New Delhi 110016 India

http://www.olympic.ind.in

Indonesia

Komite Olahraga Nasional Indonesia
Gedung Direksi Gelora Bung Karno
JI Pintu I Senayan
Jakarta 10270 Indonesia

http://www.koni.or.id

Islamic Republic of Iran

National Olympic Committee of the Islamic Republic of Iran
North Seoul Ave
Niyayesh Highway
19956 14336 Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran

http://www.olympic.ir

Japan

Pia Corporation
Mr Masamichi Hori
5-19 Sanbancho
0 Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo
Japan

+81 3 3265 1639

Email m.hori@pia.co.jp

Jordan

Jordan Olympic Committee
PO Box 19258
Amman 11196 Jordan

http://www.joc.jo

Kazakhstan

National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan
77 Zhambul Street
Almaty 050000 Kazakhstan

http://www.olympic.kz

Lao People's Democratic Republic

Kingdom Sports Group
PO Box 41
1800 Ashfield, Sydney , NSW
Australia

+61 2 9797 2992

http://www.kingdomsg.com

Malaysia

Aristeia
19 rue Martel
75010 Paris
France

+33 140 098686

http://www.aristeiasport.com

Maldives

Kingdom Sports Group
PO Box 41
1800 Ashfield, Sydney , NSW
Australia

+61 2 9797 2992

http://www.kingdomsg.com

Mongolia

Mongolian National Olympic Committee
Olympic House
Chinggis Avenue
Ulaanbaatar 210648 Mongolia

http://www.olympic.mn

Myanmar

Kingdom Sports Group
PO Box 41
1800 Ashfield, Sydney , NSW
Australia

+61 2 9797 2992

http://www.kingdomsg.com

Nepal

Kingdom Sports Group
PO Box 41
1800 Ashfield, Sydney , NSW
Australia

+61 2 9797 2992

http://www.kingdomsg.com

Oman

Oman Olympic Committee
PO Box 2842
PC 112
Ruwi
Oman

+968 2479 9891

Email omolco@gto.net.om

People’s Republic of China

Caissa International Travel Service
100763 Beijing
People’s Republic of China

http://www.caissa.com.cn

Philippine Olympic Committee

PSC Building A
Philsports Complex
Meralco Avenue
1603 Pasig City

+ 6326321254

www.olympic.ph

Qatar

Qatar National Olympic Committee
PO Box 7494
Olympic Building
Doha

Qatar

+974 494 4777

www.qatarolympics.org

Republic of Korea

Global Tour
6F Golden Tower Building
191 Chungjungno 2 Ga
Seodaemun Gu
Seoul 120722

Korea

http://www.globaltour.co.kr

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee
PO Box 6040
Prince Faisal Fahd Olympic Complex
Riyadh 11442

+966 1 482 1832

www.saudiolympic.org.sa

Singapore

Kingdom Sports Group
PO Box 41
1800 Ashfield, Sydney , NSW
Australia

+61 2 9797 2992

http://www.kingdomsg.com

Sri Lanka

Kingdom Sports Group
PO Box 41
1800 Ashfield, Sydney , NSW
Australia

+61 2 9797 2992

http://www.kingdomsg.com

Sudan

Sudan Olympic Committee
PO Box 1938
Baladia St
Khartoum
Sudan

+249 912 912 509

Email sudnoc@sudanmail.net.sd

Tajikistan

Kingdom Sports Group
PO Box 41
1800 Ashfield, Sydney , NSW
Australia

+61 2 9797 2992

http://www.kingdomsg.com

Thailand

Olympic Committee of Thailand
226 Banampawan Sriayudhya Road
Duist, Bangkok, 10300

Thailand

http://www.olympicthai.or.th

Turkmenistan

National Olympic Committee of Turkmenistan
15 A Niyazov Str.
744001 Ashgabat
Turkmenistan

+99312361309

Email Email noctkm@online.tm

United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates National Olympic Committee
PO Box 4350
Dubai
United Arab Emirates

+971 4 268 7333

Email info@uaenoc.ae

Uzbekistan

Suseia
Rue des Palais 44
1030 Brussels
Belgium

+32 (0)2 290 28 27

http://www.suseia.com

London Airports : South East England Airports during London Olympics

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200

Airport Options For Non-Scheduled Flights during 2012 Olympics

London Biggin Hill Airport,

Biggin Hill, Bromley, TN16 3BH
Tel: +44 (0) 1959 578500

Email: business@bigginhillairport.com

Web: www.bigginhillairport.com

Birmingham Airport

Birmingham, B26 3QJ

Tel: +44 (0) 8445 766000
+44 (0) 1217 677073

Email: andrew.davies@birminghamairport.co.uk

Web: www.birminghamairport.co.uk

Blackbushe Airport Ltd

Terminal Building
Blackbushe Airport, Camberley, Surrey, GU17 9LQ

Tel: +44 (0) 1252 879449
+44 (0) 1252 873338

Email: blackbusheairport@bca-group.com

Web: www.blackbusheairport.co.uk

Bournemouth Airport

Unit 1, Brackley Close
Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 6SE

Tel: +44 (0) 1202 364324
Fax: +44 (0) 1202 364118

Email: Patrick.Alexander@bournemouthairport.com

Web: www.bournemouthairport.com

Bristol Airport, Bristol,

BS48 3DY

Tel: +44 (0) 8713 344344

Email: enquiries@bristolairport.com

Web: www.bristolairport.co.uk

Bristol Airport

BAE Systems Aviation, Services Ltd, Bristol Filton
Airport, Filton, Bristol, BS99 7AR

Tel: +44 (0) 1179 699094

Email: bristolfilton.flightops@baesystems.com

Web: www.bristolfilton

Cambridge Airport

CB5 8RX

Tel: +44 (0) 1223 373214

(Operations & Handling)

+44 (0) 1223 373737 (Switchboard)

Email: enquiries@marshallairportcambridge.co.uk

Web: www.marshallairportcambridge.co.ukco.uk

Cotswold Airport

The Control Tower, Cotswold Airport
Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BA

Tel: +44 (0) 1285 771177

Email: ops@cotswoldairport.com

Web: www.cotswoldairport.com

Coventry Airport

Siskin Parkway West
Coventry Airport South, Coventry, CV3 4PB

Tel: +44 (0) 2476 308600

Email: mwatkins@coventryairport.co.uk

Web: www.coventryairport.co.uk

Denham Aerodrome

The Tower, Tilehouse Lane
Denham, Bucks, UB9 5DE

Tel: +44 (0) 1895 832161 (ATS Tower)

Email: manager@egld.com

Web: www.egld.com

East Midlands International Airport

Building 34 Ambassador Road, East Midlands Airport
Castle Donington, Derby, DE74 2SA

Tel: +44 (0) 1332 852996 (Brad Miller - MD)

Email: brad.miller@eastmidlandsairport.com

Web: www.eastmidlandsairport.com

www.emacargo.co.uk

Fairoaks Airport

Chobham
Surrey, GU24 8HX

Tel: +44 (0) 1276 857700 (Admin)
+44 (0) 1276 857300 (ATC)

Email: atsu@fairoaksairport.co.uk

Leicester Aerodrome

Gartree Road
Leicester, LE2 2FG

Tel: +44 (0) 1162 592360

Email: info@leicesterairport.com

Web: www.leicesterairport.com

London Ashford Airport

Lydd Airport, Lydd, Romney Marsh
Kent, TN29 9QL

Tel: +44 (0) 1797 322400 (Airport Switchboard)
+44 (0) 1797 320881 (ATC)

Email: customerservices@lydd-airport.co.uk

Web: www.lydd-airport.co.uk

London City Airport

Royal Docks, Silvertown
London, E16 2PX

Tel: +44 (0) 2076 460000

Email: communications@londoncityairport.com

Web: www.londoncityairport

Gatwick Airport

Destinations Place
Gatwick Airport, West Sussex, RH6 0NP

Email: airlines@gatwickairport.com

Web: www.gatwickairport.com.com

London Luton Airport

Navigation House, Airport Way
Bedfordshire, Luton, LU2 9LY

Tel: +44 (0) 1582 405100 (Switchboard)

Email: info@ltn.aero

Web: www.london-luton.co.uk

London Oxford Airport

Langford Lane
Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1RA

Tel: +44 (0) 1865 290600 (Oxfordjet handling)
+44 (0) 1865 290660 (Airport Operations)
+44 (0) 1865 290710 (Marketing)

Email: ops@londonoxfordairport.com

customerservices@oxfordjet.com

Web: www.londonoxfordairport.com

www.oxfordjet.com

London Stansted Airport

Enterprise House, Stansted Airport
Stansted, Essex, CM24 1QW

Tel: +44 (0) 7793 762385

Email: julia_gregory@baa.com

Web: www.stanstedairport.com

Manston, Kent’s International Airport

PO Box 500, Manston, Kent, CT12 5BL

Tel: +44 (0) 1843 824853

Email: phorne@manstonairport.com

Web: www.manstonairport.com

Sywell Aerodrome

Northampton, NN6 0BT

Tel: +44 (0) 1604 491112 (Administration)
+44 (0) 1604 644917 (Aerodrome FISU)

Email: info@sywellaerodrome.co.uk

Web: www.sywellaerodrome.co.uk

RAF Northolt, West End Road,

Ruislip, Middlesex, HA4 6NG

Tel: +44 (0) 2088 338930 / 1
Fax: +44 (0) 2088 338926

Email: NOR-NortholtOps@mod.uk

Web: www.raf.mod.uk/rafnortholt/flyinginfo/

Shoreham Airport

Shoreham-by-Sea
West Sussex, BN43 5FF

Tel: +44 (0) 1273 467374
+44 (0) 1273 467377/8 (ATC)

Email: alastair.wang@shorehamairport.co.uk

Web: www.shorehamairport.co.uk

Southampton Airport

Southampton, SO18 2NL

Tel: +44 (0) 2380 627233

(Olympics Representative: Jan Halliday)

+44 (0) 2380 627113

(Airport Duty Manager)

Email: jan_halliday@baa.com

Web: www.southamptonairport.com

London Southend Airport

Southend-on-Sea
Essex, SS2 6YF

Tel: +44 (0) 1702 608100 (Administration)

Email: jonathan.rayner@stobartair.com

(Head of Business Development)

flight.briefing@southendairport.com

(Handling)

Web: www.southendairport.com

www.flysouthend2012.com

Farnborough Airport

Hampshire, GU14 6XA

Tel: +44 (0) 1252 379002

Email: ops@tagfarnborough.com

Web: www.tagfarnborough.com

Wycombe Air Park

Airways Aero Associations Ltd
Booker, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 3DP

Tel: +44 (0) 1494 529261

Email: info@wycombeairpark.co.uk

Web: www.wycombeairpark.co.uk

Sourcre :http://www2.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/london2012/airportoptions/pdf/2012airportoptions.pdf

London 2012 Olympics organizers plan to take strong action against ticket resale

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200

View this Post - Official Ticket Provider / Ticket Sales Websites

As London's 2012 Summer Olympics draw near — and after ticket resale problems at the last two Olympics — officials are taking a hard line stance against ticket resellers. The London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has already set its sights on resellers, or "touts" as they are known in the UK, threatening legal action and the closing of illegal resale Web sites.

In a recent meeting of National Olympic Committee delegates in Acapulco, Mexico, LOCOG Chairman Lord Sebastian Coe remarked, "The reputational damage for everyone across the board is huge if the tickets are on the black market and in the hands of touts. It is illegal to sell an Olympic ticket and we will enforce this rigorously."

London's Metropolitan Police are employing a special unit, Operation Podium, to go after the touts, and some of their resale sites have already been shut down. Other commercial sites are far from immune to the investigation's reach, with Olympics officials already in conversation with sites like eBay about removing ticket listings from its pages.

LOCOG is addressing another resale issue from past games, namely that of athletes' family and friends being defrauded by ticket scams and then unable to attend the games. This week, the International Olympic Committee announced that athletes will have access to one, or depending on the event, up to two tickets available for purchase by family or friends. The Committee is setting aside 70,000 tickets for this purpose, with these tickets then going on sale to the public should an athlete decline the offer. This decision followed a long investigation by Texas attorney Jim Moriarty, himself a victim of a scam when trying to purchase tickets for Beijing's 2008 Summer Games, and his law firm, Moriarty Leyendecker.

"In 2008, the Chinese Olympic authorities essentially ignored the fraud problem. Two years later, in [Vancouver], the Canadian authorities ensured that their athletes had ticket access for their families. Now, the IOC finally can provide access to tickets to Olympian families of athletes – from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, and everywhere in between," Moriarty said in a statement.

But the Committee's warnings about resale don't stop at the touts. As happened with the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games, LOCOG officials are determined to stop the resale of roughly one million tickets to be provided to National Olympic Committee members and other officials.

Chairman Coe claimed that computer programs designed to prevent bulk ticket orders, as well as the monitoring of tickets issued through the hospitality program, would be in place to help reduce the chances of ticket sale fraud for the 2012 Games.

To this end, the Committee plans to create a ticket exchange site similar to that set up by the Vancouver 2010 Committee, with one striking difference: London 2012 fans may not sell their tickets above face value. This plan virtually shuts out ticket resellers hoping to make a profit on the sale of their Olympic tickets.

As he explained to the delegates in attendance last week, "It is not allowed to sell an Olympic ticket for more than face value. It's a very simple concept."

In a still-struggling global economy, LOCOG also has plans to address the issue of wider accessibility for the 2012 Games. The Committee has announced a number of pricing plans intended to put attendance within reach for many, including children and seniors.

There are $32 tickets available for every sport, with 90 percent of all tickets going for $160 or less. For a number of non-premium Olympic sessions, those aged 16 and under will pay a ticket price which matches their age, with 16 year olds topping off at about $25. For these sessions, seniors' tickets will also cost about $25.

http://www.ticketnews.com/news/London-Olympics-organizers-plan-to-take-strong-action-against-ticket-resale101029749

Official Olympic 2012 Ticket Sales: Obtaining London 2012 Olympic Tickets

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200

London Olympic 2012 Tickets

Official London 2012 Olympic Ticket Provider / Ticket Sales Websites

How to obtain a London 2012 Olympic Games Ticket

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 +0200

With tickets for the Olympic games going on sale in March it's time to plan. First you'll need a Visa card ... and deep pockets

See this post - Offficial Ticket Partners

Back in the summer of 2005, when it was announced London had won the right to host the Olympic games, 2012 seemed like half a lifetime away. But the world's greatest sporting event will be here in 18 months' time – and tickets go on sale in March, so it's not too soon to start giving it some thought.

If you're keen to go to several events, you will need two things: a Visa card and deep pockets. The official advice is that to maximise your chances of getting tickets, you will need to apply for lots of things. But be warned: if you get everything you apply for, you are committed to buying all those tickets – which could mean a bill of hundreds of pounds. So families on a budget will need to think carefully.

Forget Take That, Wimbledon and Glastonbury – London 2012 is set to trigger a ticket frenzy that will dwarf all of those. Around 8.8m tickets will be available, plus another 2m for the Paralympic Games. So far, well over 1.9 million people have registered an interest in buying them.

When ticket prices were announced in October, Olympics minister Hugh Robertson pledged that "people of all ages and budgets will have the chance to attend". But some voiced doubts after it emerged that only 2.5m of the tickets would cost £20 or less, with a top-price seat at the men's 100m final or one of the swimming finals set to cost £725 and £450 respectively. Here, we tell you all you need to know (based on what we know so far) about getting those must-have pieces of paper.

How will it work?

You will be able to apply for tickets from March 2011. About 75% of the 8.8m total will go on sale to the public. Sign up to receive information by logging on to the 2012 tickets website.

How much will they cost?

Full-price tickets start at £20 for all sports, though what you pay will vary depending on the event and where you sit/stand. You can view the detailed pricing information on the 2012 website.

Prices will be per session, the length of which will vary from sport to sport. There will be 649 sessions across 26 sports. Good news if you have kids: more than 200 of the sessions will allow anyone 16 or under at the start of the games to "pay their age" for the ticket – and anyone over 60 pays £16.

How can I get the tickets I want?

Unlike Take That shows or other "hot" events, this isn't going to be first come, first served, so there is nothing to be gained from submitting your application on the first day, organisers say.

The application window will be open for a set time, after which all applications will be considered equally, they add: "With so many sports, venues and days to consider, we recommend you take your time and discuss your plans with family and friends."

For sessions where demand exceeds supply, there will be a ballot. "To increase your chances of being successful, we recommend you apply for more than one or two sessions and for a range of sports," says the Olympics ticketing team. Early indications are that the sports that will see the highest demand include athletics, swimming, gymnastics, diving, tennis and cycling.

What happens after I've applied?

It's only after the tickets have been allocated and payment taken that you will find out whether you have got what you applied for. "If you are successful in all your session applications, you are committed to buying all the tickets," say the organisers.

Can I sell tickets I don't want?

It will be illegal to sell tickets for a profit, unless you are an authorised partner, such as Thomas Cook, which will be offering hotel and ticket packages to international travellers. So if you put tickets up on, say, eBay, you will be committing an offence. However, London 2012 is developing an online exchange through which people can resell them.

Can I give them to friends/family?

The name of the buyer will be printed on the ticket, but it's unlikely that ID will be required when presenting them. A London 2012 spokesman says: "The person buying the ticket will have their name on the ticket and therefore be responsible for them. If you can't make it and pass it on to someone else, then we will be sensible about it, but our default position is that the buyer is responsible."

I don't live in London. Is there anything for me?

Travel and accommodation costs may put off lots of Brits from outside the capital. Non-London options are sailing, which is being held off the coast of Weymouth and Portland Harbour in Dorset; rowing, which will be at Eton Dorney near Windsor Castle, 40km west of London; and football, which will be held at the City of Coventry Stadium, Hampden Park in Glasgow, the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Old Trafford in Manchester and St James' Park in Newcastle. Mountain biking will take place in Hadleigh Farm, between Basildon and Southend in Essex.

How do I apply – and what's all this about a Visa card?

You will be able to apply online at the 2012 website or via forms that will be available from shops. A Visa card (credit, debit or prepaid) will be the only payment method accepted for online applications – in recognition, organisers say, of the company's support for the games. However, cheques and postal orders will also be accepted for paper applications. If you've only got a MasterCard or Amex, you should probably think about taking out one of the numerous Visa prepaid cards available.

What about Paralympic Games tickets?

These will go on sale separately later in 2011.

Source : http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011/jan/08/how-to-get-an-olympic-seat

Google: Top 10 'London Olympics' Keyword / Search Trends 2012

Sat, 12 May 2012 10:21:00 +0200

Last 7 Days: Top 10 Google Search Trends - London Olympics

Last 30 Days: Top 10 Google Search Trends - London Olympics

Last 30 Days: Top 10 Rising Google Searches - London Olympics