GAMES

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

By Tom Degun in Barcelona

Carlos Nuzman, the President of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee, has expressed his desire to show the world and future bidders how the Olympic Games can transform a city for the better.

The Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympics will mark the first time that South America has hosted the event and Nuzman is confident that the Games in Brazil's second largest city will mark a new and exciting chapter for the Olympic Movement.

"I think we won the bid for a multitude of reasons," said the President of Rio 2016 today at the Global Sports Forum here.

"We wanted to lead the bid process without lobbyists, with a small team of six.

"Having the support of all politicians was also crucial for us, they all supported us from day one and they did not want to interfere.

"Our bid was seen as an outside one, nobody foresaw us winning, so we took each step as if it was the last one, telling ourselves that we could only do better.

"Now, my dream is to make Rio an example of a city or country which can change thanks to the Olympics."

Rio faces some huge logistical challenges in organising such a massive sporting event for the first time, not least regarding transport, but Nuzman is confident in the plans that have been set down by the Organising Committee.

"We wanted to avoid all the sites being too close together, so we decided to pick four," he explained.

"Our biggest challenge has been transport.

"The state of Rio will build two subway lines to cross the mountains and the City Council will take care of setting up four bus routes with a high level of service.

"Finally, we have to improve all of our airports."

Security is also a concern but Nuzman feels that the peacemaker unit put in place in 2009 will be able to counter any major threats in the lead up to and during the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games

"Our other main challenge is our commitment to safety.

"In order to succeed, the State Secretary for Security in Rio de Janeiro has already created a peacemaker unit, which since 2009 has been working in the favelas to ensure security during the Olympics.

"I hope that this event will give the world the desire to discover our city and our country."

Source: www.news.bbc.co.uk

By James Pearce
BBC sports news correspondent

The British Olympic Association (BOA) is taking its dispute with the organisers of the London 2012 Games to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Based in Lausanne, the court is the final adjudicator in disagreements between sporting bodies or individuals.

The BOA feels it deserves a bigger cut from the organisers, Locog, of any surplus generated from the Games.

BOA spokesman Darryl Seibel said: "We have filed a formal petition seeking to resolve this quickly and equitably."

Initially, the IOC had been asked to adjudicate on the dispute. The BOA's decision to take its case to the CAS will further anger many who argue that the harmony around the Olympic project is being jeopardised to protect the organisation's finances.

Last week the BBC revealed that the BOA has a significant funding gap and does not have enough money to support Team GB during the 2012 Games.

The case will centre on whether the BOA is entitled to a share of the surplus from the Olympics alone, or the Games and Paralympics combined.

This is crucial, because the Paralympics will need to be subsidised, whereas the Olympics could turn in a small profit. Locog is the organising committee for both the Olympics and Paralympics.

Lord Coe, the chairman of Locog, told BBC Sport: "This is a technical, narrow dispute and we will resolve it.

IOC intervene in 2012 cash row

"This has no impact at all on the ability of Team GB or Paralympic GB to be competing. You know we have got great momentum across the project and the relationships are very strong and this will be resolved."

And on Wednesday, Locog issued a statement emphasising that the Olympics and Paralympics must be treated together.

"The vision for London 2012, created by the BOA, Government and the Mayor of London and set out in the bid book is for one festival of sport, with an integrated Olympic and Paralympic Games, underpinned by a single budget," the statement read.

"It is sad that this vision is now disputed by the new leadership of the BOA. We are grateful that the IOC is helping to resolve the issue."

Please click the link below to view the London 2012 Olympic Games - Test Events Schedule

pdf  London 2012 Olympic Games - Test Events Schedule

Tickets for the London 2012 Olympic Games are available at a wide range of prices starting at £20. There are also special prices available for young people and seniors across all Olympic sports. Young people who are aged 16 or younger (at 27 July 2012) will 'pay their age' for a ticket. Seniors aged 60 and over (at 27 July 2012) will pay £16. These 'pay your age' ticket prices and senior ticket prices will be available in more than 200 sessions. The price of a ticket for a wheelchair space includes a companion seat located next to it.

The full Olympic Games competition schedule has been released. Please note this schedule is subject to change.

You can download and print the full Olympic Games competition schedule including ticket prices (pdf, 5288kb/5mb).

Click here: pdf  Full Olympic Games Schedule including ticket prices

Source: insidethegames.biz

By Duncan Mackay

February 19 - Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo has been asked to lead Rome's bid to host the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, the head of Italy's Games Committee (CONI) has revealed.

Montezemolo, who organised the successful FIFA World Cup in Italy in 1990, and has been chairman of Fiat, is expected to give a response at the start of next week and would work alongside Ernesto Albanaese, who has been nominated to be the bid's chief executive.

But Gianni Petrucci, the President of CONI, has already backed him to be a major asset for Rome if he accepts the offer.

"Luca di Montezemolo is the right man, one of the most famous Italians in the world," he said.

"With him our chances would increase.

"I'm in complete agreement with the Government and the Rome Council.

"I really hope the Ferrari president's reply is positive."

The 63-year-old from Bologna, who is worth an estimated $400 million, has been mulling entering politics but said he was committed to Ferrari at the Formula One team's season launch last month.

Montezemolo had been the original choice of Italy's Undersecretary of State Gianni Letta but then Nerio Alessandri, the founder and chief executive of London 2012 sponsor Technogym, was approached.

He turned down the role to concentrate on his own business and because of tensions between him and CONI and Montezemolo has again emerged as the leading contender.

Rome Mayor's Gianni Alemanno is keen to find a leader so that they can begin promoting the bid, although a decision is not due until September 7, 2013, at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Buenos Aires.

"No more postponements," he said.

"On Wednesday 23 February the Mayor will officially announce the name of the President."

The appointment of Albanaese, a former high-ranking official with CONI and now the managing director of Atahotels, as chief executive appears to be a formality after he was backed by all three stakeholders involved in the bid.

Italian officials are also considering establishing an advisory panel to oversee the bid and ensure transparency.