London Latest -- 2012 Olympics Minister Offers Track Pledge to IAAF

(ATR) Britain's Olympics minister Hugh Robertson vows to ensure that the newly-laid athletics track in the London Olympic Stadium will stay forever, no matter what the outcome of a judicial review into the decision to hand the stadium to West Ham FC after the Games.

Robertson was speaking at Monday's unveiling of the track at the stadium in east London. Before meeting media, he welcomed and made a presentation to the IAAF inspection committee as part of London’s bid to host the 2017 World Athletics Championships.

Sebastian Coe, LOCOG chair and IAAF vice president, inaugurated the track by running a portion of the 400m loop. He is also heading the London 2017 bid.

Also in attendance were Paralympic medallist Dan Greaves, British Long Jump record holder Chris Tomlinson and IAAF World Championships silver medallist Hannah England who took to the vulcanized rubber track along with local school children.

Around the Rings London reporter Christian Radnedge was one of a select few journalists invited to test out the track. He won the media 1,500m. The time was not recorded!

Speaking about Tottenham Hotspur’s judicial review into the decision to award the stadium to West Ham earlier this year, Robertson offered comments that were aimed at appeasing the IAAF delegation amid Spur's legal battle. Spurs original plan to take over the stadium made no provision to keep the track as it offers poor sightlines for football.

"The judicial review is not about whether there is going to be an athletics track in the stadium, it’s about the process of which the decision was made. That’s what a judicial review does," Robertson said.

"Even if Tottenham did win it, and we don’t think they will, then it would just start the whole process all over again and the track would be a non-negotiable part of it."

Robertson even went as far as to brand the dispute "ridiculous" and underlined the fact that Tottenham were currently in full flow with plans to build a new venue close to their current stadium, White Hart Lane, in north London.

The sports minister also told reporters that the London 2017 bid had given guarantees about the track to the IAAF. He said the IAAF inspectors were happy with the promises made.

"The last time we talked about a bid [for the World Athletics Championships] we were talking about a theoretical stadium and track. Here now they can see it, we’re standing on it so that is definitely a bonus," he said.

Commenting on the inspection for the bid for 2017, Coe said: "This is important to me, this is my sport that’s why I am here. I don’t expect anything, all I know is we madea very strong case.

"But we don’t assume anything because I’m sure Doha will make some valid points of their own."

The track itself is made by Mondo, who have been constructing tracks since 1963. At 13.5mm in depth, it's one of the fastest surfaces in the world. Coe made a point of saying that for him "it felt fast".

In response to some criticism of the 2011 IAAF World Championships in Daegu that not enough seats were sold, Coe said he would expect London to "sell-out". He added that despite the criticism, he and the IAAF were very happy with the Daegu 2011 event.

Coe added: "If you’re going to build a global capacity for sport, you’re inevitably going to take it to places that are going to have challenges."

On London 2017, he said: "This is absolutely the right venue. But we haven’t staged a major track and field event in this country aside from the Commonwealth Games – and I find that bizarre. Now we have the opportunity to do so, and really get track and field back into schools."

Bids Invited for Press and Broadcast Centers

The Olympic Park Legacy Company calledMonday for companies to bid to take up commercial space in the Main Press Center and the International Broadcast Center after the Games.

Post-2012 the development will offer around one million square feet of flexible business space on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park surrounded by the Games sports venues and parkland.

Interested parties have nine weeks to submit their proposals and take advantage of London’s expansion eastwards as the area becomes a destination for business, leisure and work.

"The Press and Broadcast Centers have already generated a huge amount of commercial interest and we are excited to see what bids come forward," OPLC chief executive Andrew Altman said in a statement.

"Now is the time for businesses to take up this unique offer and become part of what will be a thriving centre for enterprise and innovation in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s first commercial space."

London mayor Boris Johnson noted that thousands of media from across the world would use the facilities during the Games, "but once the sporting action has ended, these centers will become the heart of a new creative high-tech quarter for our capital".

The OPLC will review submissions before shortlisting potential occupiers in February 2012. The buildings will be available for fit-outs and openings from spring 2013.

New HGH Test for 2012 Possible

Anti-doping authorities may soon be able to test for HGH as many as 21 days after its use.

The new test still needs final approval from the World Anti-Doping Agency, according to an Associated Press report, but the method was unanimously backed by scientists at a London symposium over the weekend.

Current HGH tests only find evidence of the drug's use in the last 72 hours.

Angolan Women in 2012 Hoops Tourney

Angola is the final team to receive direct qualification into the 2012 Olympic basketball tournament following its win over defending champs Senegal in Sunday's final of the Afrobasket Women.

Reported by Christian Radnedge

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