Greenwich Protest Fizzles Out; Gymnastics Worlds Underway at 2012 Venue

(ATR) A planned “mass protest” against using Greenwich Park as the venue for Olympic equestrian and the modern pentathlon in 2012 failed to materialize Sunday.

No To Greenwich Olympic Equestrian Events (NOGOE), which has 12,000 signatures on a petition against using the World Heritage Site as an Olympic venue, had planned a “Ring Around the Park” to highlight their strength of feeling behind their campaign.

But estimates put the actual crowd at fewer than 500.

The London 2012 organizers’ consultation process appears to be winning over other local residents’ groups. They were told at a meeting last month that closures to the Royal Park in 2012 will be limited to four weeks, and that a children’s playground and the flower garden will remain open all summer except for the actual day of the cross-country phase of the three-day event.

LOCOG has also promised that smaller residential roads around the park will not be used as routes for the events.

Ray Smith, from the Greenwich Society, said: “LOCOG has now addressed the main concerns we have been raising. The changes show the benefits of engaging in constructive discussions. Getting the traffic away from the smaller residential streets was a major win.”

While discussions continue about other venues outside the Olympic Park, a London 2012 spokeswoman said that, “We are firm on Greenwich Park.”

The park was one of the 2012 venues evaluated last year for cost-effectiveness by management consultants KPMG. And after staging their events in Hong Kong in 2008, equestrian officials are keen to bring their sport as close as possible to the heart of the Olympics.

“The Olympic Board and KPMG have approved the venue, the national federation and the international federation are all happy with the venue,” the LOCOG spokeswoman told ATR.

“Massive efforts are being made to ensure that there will be no damage done to the park, we have shortened the closure period, and we are going through a very thorough consultation process.”

Gymnastics Worlds Trial 2012 Venue

Organizers of the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, which opened at 2012 venue the O2 Arena Tuesday, were optimistic that Britain’s improved standing in the sport will attract new spectators.

It is the first time that London has hosted the FIG’s premier event, which runs through Oct. 18. The event director of the world championships is Matt Greenwood, who has already been appointed as LOCOG’s competition manager for gymnastics in 2012.

Although not a formal trial event for the 2012 London Games, LOCOG has described the 2009 world championships as a “fantastic opportunity” to test the venue, which will also stage basketball in 2012. The week before the gymnastics moved into the O2, it staged a sell-out NBA pre-season game between Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz in the 12,000 capacity arena.

Competitors from 72 nations are expected to compete this week, with 1,200 officials and competitors accredited, making it the biggest ever gymnastics world championships.Venue Options for Badminton and Rhythmic Gymnastics

London’s 2012 venue for rhythmic gymnastics and badminton will be resolved by the time of the IOC Executive Board meeting in December, with officials considering two alternatives to the original plan to build a $64 million temporary arena next to O2.

“In the current economic climate, it makes little sense to spend 40 million pounds on a venue and then knock it down after the Games,” a LOCOG official said.

London Mayor Boris Johnson has advocated moving the rhythmic gymnasts and badminton players across London to Wembley Arena. Although badminton is staging its 2010 world championships at Wembley, international officials are opposed to having its Olympic events there because of the travelling time for competitors from the Olympic Village.

A visit to London by International Badminton Federation officials next week will be critical.

Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell is backing the building of a temporary venue on a brownfield site in Barking, to the east of Olympic Park, which she believes will help to regenerate that area.

Both options will be reviewed by the IOC’s co-ordination commission when it visits London next month, prior to reporting to the EB for final approval.

Meanwhile, Johnson has been told to “stop meddling” in the decision to stage Olympic shooting at Woolwich by the area’s Member of Parliament. Johnson has joined protests about using the Royal Artillery Barracks on grounds it might save $16 million, but Nick Raynsford MP has condemned the mayor’s complaints as “ill-judged” and with “no evidence.”

Raynsford said: “It would be an absolute tragedy if the shooting were moved. There would be great disappointment.”

Sailors Likely to Get Berths Ashore

LOCOG is also reviewing its original plan to accommodate the 400 sailors competing at the Olympic regatta on a cruise ship moored in the English Channel off Weymouth in 2012.

With Weymouth a three-hour drive south of London, sailing is one of very few events in 2012 where athletes will not be able to stay in the Olympic Village during their competition.

Last week, Rob Andrews, LOCOG’s sailing events competition manager, told a meeting in the county of Dorset that other, on-land accommodation options are being considered. Local reports suggested it could mean hundreds of new homes which would become low cost housing after the Games, or refurbishing existing buildings.

Sports Clubs Get Priority for Olympic Tickets

Applicants for tickets to London Olympic events who are already members of sports clubs will get priority when LOCOG puts its 9.2 million Olympic and Paralympic tickets up for sale in 2011, it has been reported.

London 2012 organizers, working with the IOC, have devised a scheme called “Fans in Front”. It aims to ensure that the Games avoids embarrassing swathes of empty seating at many events, especially for preliminary rounds, as happened at both the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Tens of thousands of free tickets to qualifying stages are also likely to be distributed to schoolchildren so that they can enjoy “the Olympic experience.”

The “Fans in Front” scheme may also mean corporate sponsors, VIPs and media seats are moved away from their usual vantage points.

Sports officials in Britain, especially in football, have faced criticism for the manner in which sponsors – dubbed “the prawn sandwich brigade” by Roy Keane when he was captain of Manchester United – lack the passion of regular fans and so detract from the atmosphere at big sports occasions.

LOCOG also hopes that its ticketing policy will persuade many Londoners to join, and support, their local sports club, and further ensure an Olympic legacy.

London will also permit sponsors to swap unwanted tickets as another means of avoiding empty seats.

LOCOG Seeks Retailer for Merchandising

LOCOG is seeking pitches from retailers who want to handle an estimated $1.5 billion-worth of London 2012 merchandise sales.

The Olympic organizers want to hire a retailer to operate stores that will sell branded London 2012 merchandise in shops on the high street, at airports, railway stations and shopping centers.

Written by Steven DownesFor general comments or questions, click here .