Annecy Inquest; Madrid Stadium; Sochi Inspection

French NOC Awaits Annecy Inquest

The outcomes of an in-depth investigation into Annecy's failed bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics are not expected for a few more months.

Around the Rings has learned that the inquest into the French bid, which garnered only seven votes in the IOC ballot for the Games last July, has been delayed by the revamp of the country's sports ministry following the election of Francois Hollande as president.

Last month, French National Olympic and Sport Committee chief Denis Masseglia told ATR that a decision on whether France would bid for the 2024 Olympics would only come after a full investigation into Annecy's humiliating defeat.

The French sports governing bodies will ultimately assess whether to bid for the summer Olympics. A Paris bid for the 2024 Games would mark the 100th anniversary of the first Games in France.

Madrid Olympic Stadium Delay

Madrid 2020 tells ATR that the city's Olympic stadium, originally slated to be finished this summer, has been delayed due to legal issues. A spokeswoman denied that the glitches were over financial issues relating to the country's economic turmoil.

The Estadio La Peineta is undergoing an expansion to nearly 70,000 capacity to become the new home of football club Atlético Madrid.

But the club is currently resolving construction and environmental issues concerning the new stadium, she said. Atlético plan move to the stadium before 2015 from their current Vicente Calderón Stadium.

London Panasonic Plans

Panasonic unveiled details of its plans to supply audio visual equipment for the London Olympics – the company’s largest effort since becoming a TOP sponsor of the IOC.

Included in the plans are 47 103-inch plasma televisions, and delivery of 200 hours of 3-D Olympic broadcasting for the first time.

The company also says it will have the largest number of screens at venues with the largest screens-size area ever.

As part of Panasonic’s marketing plans for the Games, its pavilion at Olympic Park will be titled "Panasonic Full HD 3D Theatre" and will feature a full 3-D Panasonic home theater. An advertising campaign with the "Share the Passion" campaign will begin in earnest in the United Kingdom in the middle of June.

Sochi Olympic Stadium on Show

FIFA inspectors evaluating Russia's 2018 World Cup preparations are praising progress in Sochi, the latest stop on their tour of potential host cities.

The Black Sea resort's 2014 Winter Olympics stadium is set to be converted into a football venue for the FIFA showpiece.

The delegation visited the construction site of the Fisht stadium, named in honor of the westernmost peak in the Caucasus mountains. When finished next year, the arena and its contours will resemble the peak itself.

After the 2014 Games, if Sochi figures in FIFA’s final list of host cities set for a September announcement, stands will be added to the northern and southern sides of the stadium, increasing its capacity to 45,000.

FIFA experts also examined transport infrastructure plans, accommodations and plans to organize a fan festival and to screen matches on giant screens in the Olympic Park, which can accommodate up to 80,000 visitors.

FIFA's inspection was postponed from April when a plane carrying officials was unable to land at Sochi international airport due to heavy fog.

"Our visit to Sochi left a positive impression on us," said Jurgen Muller, FIFA’s head of department for the 2014, 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.

"The climate is nice and the people are hospitable. It’s important to point out that we were assured that Sochi will overcome any difficulties it may experience as it prepares for the World Cup."

Russia 2018 CEO Alexey Sorokin said: "It’s pleasing that the contours of the stadium in Sochi are already clearly visible. That dispels a whole host of concerns to do with the construction."

During FIFA's visit, reassurances were given that Sochi could cope with preparations for the Winter Olympics and World Cup. It’s also scheduled to stage a Formula One grand prix in 2014.

For more on the Sochi visit, stop by World Football INSIDER.

Platini: Poland/Ukraine Meet Euro 2012 Challenge

Despite stadia delays, funding crises and unfinished transport projects, UEFA president Michel Platini claims Poland and Ukraine have succeeded in overcoming their challenges and will deliver a memorable Euro 2012 – the first European Championship finals in eastern Europe.

"With the opening match just days away, it is already safe to say that the challenge has been proudly met, despite the various difficulties that have cropped up along the way," the Frenchman writes in the latest edition of the UEFA direct magazine.

"Stadiums have been built or renovated, airports, transport systems and hotels developed and modernised and all the necessary improvements made," he goes on.

"In short, both countries are now ready to host our continent's biggest football tournament in conditions worthy of an event of this magnitude."

Euro 2012 kicks off at Warsaw's National Stadium on Friday.

Follow World Football INSIDER for more, including on-the-scene coverage from Warsaw.

Media Watch

The New York Timesreports on the current precarious status of the Los Angeles Collisuem, site of the 1932 and 1984 Olympics.

Right to Play is among the voices on the ESPN Films presentation "Right to Play" that aired Saturday on ABC.

Reported by Mark Bisson

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.