The IOC’s Coordination Commission for the London 2012 Games, led by Chairman Denis Oswald, concluded three days of meetings with the Organising Committee for the Games of the XXX Olympiad – London 2012 (LOCOG) with a strong endorsement of the quality and professionalism of the work being carried out. Having reviewed a thorough cross-section of areas of Games preparation with LOCOG and its partners – the British Olympic Association, the Mayor of London’s office, the Department of Culture Media and Sport and the Olympic Delivery Authority – the IOC stated that sound planning and consistency of vision were combining to ensure that robust foundations were being laid for the five years ahead.

“The IOC has been very impressed with what we have seen this week,” commented Oswald. “There is an excellent team in place, who work together with real spirit. Across the board – from venue construction, sport, the Olympic village, through to technology, media operations and the progress being made in sponsorship negotiations, we see that the work is being thoroughly thought through. Operationally and financially they are on-track; the interest from the business community is high, with key new commercial partners signing up in the coming months. All this has progressed without any deviation from the vision that was laid out in Singapore. The Commission members – all of whom have a huge amount of Olympic Games experience – and I come away confident in the structures and people and feeling energised by how the London Games will have a positive legacy and help move sport higher up the agenda – something that is so close to the IOC’s heart.”

Oswald continued, “We have known since London bid that legacy – both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ -was an important element. From the presentations we heard this week it is clear to me that London 2012 will serve as a model in this area. Also evident, alongside sport, is the strength of the cultural and educational aspects of these Games.”

The athlete representative on the Coordination Commission, Olympic medallist Frank Fredericks, commented, “Having toured the Olympic Park, seen the Dome and heard the presentations given by LOCOG this week, I’m really excited about the quality of the London Games. I’m sure that if LOCOG keeps up the good work, the athletes competing in 2012 will have a great Olympic experience – one that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.”

On the first day of its visit, the Commission viewed the progress that has been made at the Olympic Park and saw the Dome just before its grand opening. The Commission members then became the first passengers to travel from Stratford International Station to St Pancras in central London, a trip that will allow spectators to travel from central London to the Olympic Park in only seven minutes at Games time. During the meetings, the Commission heard reports on Games-related topics such as sport, the Olympic Village, venue development, NOC Services, transport operations, communications, commercial activities, the environment and sustainability and the Paralympic Games. These discussions allow not just the Commission to be informed of LOCOG’s progress, but also for members of the Commission to share their Games experience and provide LOCOG with advice and guidance on elements of the 2012 project, thus helping the organisers to produce truly successful Games.

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.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coordination Commission for the Games of the XXX Olympiad – London 2012 will visit London this week in order to conduct a full overview of the London 2012 project. This will be the second time that the full Commission has visited London, following its first visit last April. Led by its Chairman, Denis Oswald, the Commission will be in London for three days from 12 to 14 June and will hear reports from the London Organising Committee (LOCOG) and its partners about a full range of Games- related topics.

During its three-day visit to London, the Commission will hear from representatives of LOCOG and other local stakeholders, such as the Greater London Authority, the British Olympic Association, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and the Olympic Delivery Authority. The Commission members will receive updates on the progress being made in various areas of LOCOG’s organisation, such as sport, communications, transport, the environment and venue development. The Commission will also tour some of the Olympic venues as part of its visit, in order to see the progress being made first-hand.

The Coordination Commission for the London Games is chaired by Denis Oswald and contains representatives from the IOC, the National Olympic Committees (NOCs), the International Federations (IFs), the International Paralympic Committee and an athlete representative, as well as experts in other fields. The Commission visits the host city once a year until four years from the Games, when the visits become twice-yearly until the Games are held. The Commission’s full meetings are supplemented by regular visits by smaller IOC teams involving the Commission Chairman, selected members of the Commission and members of the IOC administration. Several visits of these smaller working groups have been held in London since the last Coordination Commission meeting.

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.

Official Website:

london2012.org

The new brand and vision for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games were unveiled in London today by the Chairman of the London 2012 Organising Committee, Sebastian Coe, and a team of sporting celebrities and ambassadors. The new brand mark will become the instantly recognisable way of identifying the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in the future

Commenting on the new London brand, IOC President Jacques Rogge said, “This is a truly innovative brand logo that graphically captures the essence of the London 2012 Olympic Games – namely to inspire young people around the world through sport and the Olympic values.” He continued, “Each edition of the Olympic Games brings its own flavour and touch to what is now well over a century of modern Olympic history; the brand launched today by London 2012 is, I believe, an early indication of the dynamism, modernity and inclusiveness with which London 2012 will leave its Olympic mark.”

The new London 2012 brand is dynamic, modern and flexible and will be instantly recognisable among all age groups and all around the world. It is a brand that will stand out from the crowd, as it looks to inspire the youth of the world and people of all ages from across the globe for the next five years. The new London 2012 brand will undoubtedly help make the 2012 Games stand out in people’s memories, not just until the Games, but beyond as well. For more information on the new London 2012 brand, visit the London 2012 website.

During his three-day visit to Vancouver this week, IOC President Jacques Rogge was able to discuss the progress of the Vancouver Games preparations with a number of prominent local leaders. During his short stay in the 2010 Olympic Winter Games Host City, Rogge spoke to the Canadian Secretary of State with the responsibility for sport, the Premier of British Columbia, three Mayors of communities that are hosting some of the Olympic venues, as well as Chiefs of the Four Host First Nations (FHFN) of the Vancouver Games.

During the President’s discussions with Helena Guergis, Canadian Secretary of State with responsibility for sport; Premier Gordon Campbell; and Mayors Sam Sullivan, Ken Melamed and Malcom Brodie of Vancouver, Whistler and Richmond respectively, it was clear that the 2010 Games are at the forefront of everybody’s mind with less than two years to go. The political support of a nation for an Olympic Games is always crucial, and it was clear that support in Canada is extremely high at all levels of government.

The President was also able to meet with Chiefs of the Four Host First Nations (Lil’wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations), respectively Chief Leonard Andrew, Chief Ernest Campbell, Councillor Dale Harry and Chief Leah George Wilson, at a reception organised by the FHFN for the President and the IOC’s Vancouver Coordination Commission. It was at this ceremony that President Rogge and René Fasel, Chairman of the Vancouver Coordination Commission, were honoured by receiving First Nation names in a special ceremony.

Vancouver and Whistler will host the XXI Olympic Winter Games from 12 to 28 February 2010 and the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from 12 to 21 March 2010. The seven Winter Olympic sports that will be on show in Vancouver are Luge, Skiing, Skating, Ice Hockey, Biathlon, Bobsleigh and Curling.

The IOC President Jacques Rogge is in the 2010 Olympic Winter Host City of Vancouver this week and, during his visit, he has had the opportunity to see first hand the great progress that has been made on some of the venues for the Games. Kicking-off his visit with a trip to the Richmond speed skating oval and the UBC Winter Sports Centre, the President was also able to see where the athletes will sleep in Vancouver in 2010 at the Vancouver Olympic Village.

Happy Athletes

Commenting on his visit to some of the venues, Rogge said, “It has been very exciting this week to see the progress that has been made on the venues for the Vancouver Games. With a little under two years to go, the Vancouver Organising Committee and its local partners have made great progress in making sure that the athletes in 2010 will be able to compete on some truly impressive competition venues and sleep in two state-of-the-art villages. I have no doubt that when the athletes arrive for the Games, they will be very happy with the venues and villages that they will have here in British Columbia.”

Since winning the right to host the Games in 2003, the Vancouver 2010 organisers have made it one of their top priorities to make sure that the venues for the Games will be ready well in advance of 2010, thus ensuring that when the athletes of the world arrive in 2010 that everything is fully tried and tested. This ambitious goal is becoming a reality with every passing day, with five sports venues already completed by the end of last year.

Vancouver and Whistler will host the XXI Olympic Winter Games from 12 to 28 February 2010 and the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from 12 to 21 March 2010. The seven Winter Olympic sports that will be on show in Vancouver are Luge, Skiing, Skating, Ice Hockey, Biathlon, Bobsleigh and Curling.

With only two years to go until the start of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, the Vancouver Organising Committee (VANOC) has launched its Volunteer Programme. The programme will seek to recruit about 25,000 volunteers, who will help to stage the 2010 Winter Games by fulfilling roles in areas as wide and varied as accommodation, sport, press operations and ceremonies, to name but a few. There are also opportunities to be had as a volunteer at different events in the lead-up to the Games. Get more information on the entire programme at www.vancouver2010.com.

For people looking to apply as a volunteer, they can now access a user-friendly online volunteer application process at www.vancouver2010.com. The process includes two sections: an online application, and access to “On Your Mark”, an exclusive online portal that provides volunteer applicants with important recruitment updates, position information, training schedules and more. The application process will remain open for a minimum of six weeks. In addition, there will also be two volunteer centres located in Vancouver and Squamish, which will act as primary regional hubs for recruitment, deployment and training for volunteers residing in those areas.

“In exactly 24 short months, the Olympic flame will arrive in Vancouver, and today marks one of the most important milestones on the road to 2010,” said John Furlong, Chief Executive Officer of VANOC at the volunteer launch ceremony on the date of two years to go. “Next to the athletes, volunteers are perhaps the most important participants in the 2010 Winter Games. They will welcome the world, set lasting impressions and play the largest role in actually staging the Games. It will be a proud, unforgettable experience for everyone involved and we look forward to welcoming thousands of enthusiastic applicants.”

Construction has been completed on all three of the Whistler Olympic and Paralympic competition venues. Thanks to the efforts of a 2,500-strong workforce recruited from across British Columbia and Canada, athletes will be able to train at these Olympic venues more than two years before the Vancouver 2010 Games begin. The venues in Whistler, which will host 46 Olympic medal events and 62 Paralympic medal events, will offer a legacy for high performance and recreational use, both before and long after the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

During the Games, Whistler Olympic Park will host the biathlon, cross-country skiing, Nordic combined and ski jumping events; the Whistler Sliding Centre will host bobsleigh, luge and skeleton events; and Whistler Creekside will host the Alpine skiing events. While Whistler Creekside has been operational since the beginning of the 2007-08 ski season, the Whistler Olympic Park only opened its doors for its first competition and to the public this weekend, and the Whistler Sliding Centre will undergo detailed fit-out and testing over the next few months.

As well as being finished in time to allow the athletes plenty of chances to train on the venues before the Games, the 2010 venues in Whistler have also been constructed with sustainability in mind. Some of these sustainability measures include building the venues to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) standards, recycling wood waste on-site, and reusing captured waste heat. In addition, Squamish and Lil’wat Nations-owned companies completed 50% of the construction work at Whistler Olympic Park, which led to additional business opportunities for the First Nations in the Sea-to-Sky corridor.

The IOC Executive Board (EB) yesterday approved a number of decisions related to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, notably the competition schedule by session and the schedule of preparatory sports events. The Vancouver decisions rounded off the discussions concerning the current Organising Committees for the Olympic Games with Coordination Commission Chairman Jean-Claude Killy reporting on the Sochi Games on Monday, and the Beijing and London Games being reviewed yesterday morning.

In approving the sports schedule by session, the EB has confirmed the Vancouver 2010 Organising Committee (VANOC)’s discussions with the International Federations and rights-holding Broadcasters on which days individual events will be held during the 16 days of Olympic competition. The approval of the sports event schedule will also allow VANOC to move ahead with its plans to test the venues and its preparations ahead of the Games to ensure that the 2010 Olympic Winter Games reach the highest possible standards. The approvals followed a presentation by video conference from VANOC CEO John Furlong and a report by the Vancouver 2010 Coordination Commission Chairman René Fasel to the EB.

The EB also heard reports on the Games that will be held in 2008, 2012 and 2014 – Beijing, London and Sochi respectively. The three Coordination Commission Chairmen, Verbruggen, Oswald and Killy, for these Games all spoke about the strong spirit of partnership that exists between each Organising Committee and the IOC, and praised the work currently being carried out on these different Games – a sentiment that was echoed by René Fasel concerning Vancouver 2010.

Vancouver and Whistler will host the XXI Olympic Winter Games from 12 to 28 February 2010 and the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from 12 to 21 March 2010. The seven Winter Olympic sports that will be on show in Vancouver are Luge, Skiing, Skating, Ice Hockey, Biathlon, Bobsleigh and Curling.

Olympic Express is the first Olympic Games “e-journal” for young people from all over the world. It’s interactive, contains a wide range of animated features and provides all the information you need to be able to follow the planet’s biggest sporting event.

From a bi-weekly…
From today until 8 August, you can learn all about the Olympic Games’ 35 different sporting disciplines. Olympic Express will come out twice a week. It will feature reports on individual stars, teams and technical details about specific sports; in fact, it will tell you everything you need to know to become an expert in any sport you like.

… to an e-daily
When the Beijing Games are actually underway, Olympic Express will become an e-daily, so that we can bring you news of all the competition’s events and sporting exploits, as well as stories, large and small, about the world’s greatest athletes.

After the Games, on 25 August, we will publish a special edition featuring the best photos from the competition. Then, on 28 August, you will be able to read a special issue on the Paralympics, the Games for athletes with disabilities. The Paralympics generally take place just after the Olympic Games. This year they will be held in Beijing, starting on 6 September. Finally, on 1 September, our last issue will focus on the upcoming Youth Olympic Games. In 2010, young people will also be able to celebrate the Olympic spirit by taking part in their own Games.

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has announced the pools for the Women’s Hockey Tournament of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The 12 participating teams have been allocated to the following two pools:

Pool A: Netherlands, Australia, China, Spain, Korea, South Africa. Pool B: Argentina, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Great Britain, USA.

The match schedule for both the Men’s and Women’s Hockey Tournaments of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will be released mid-May 2008.

The hockey tournaments for both men and women will be held at the Olympic Green Hockey Field from 10 to 23 August 2008.