London Latest - Military Boost for Olympic Security; Ticket Sales Revenues on Target

Military Boost for Olympic Security

Britain will beef up Olympic security with around 13,500 military personnel during the Games.

It means there will be a larger military presence at the Olympics than Britain's deployment in Afghanistan, which numbers around 9,500 troops.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond confirmed Thursday that 5,000 troops will support the police-led security operation, with another 7,500 backing up venue security staff at peak times. Another 1,000-strong military contingency force is available to respond to Olympic-related civil emergencies.

Hammond said the Ministry of Defence was prepared to make a "significant contribution" to the security and safety of the Olympics and Paralympics, providing up to 13,500 military personnel in London, on the River Thames, in Weymouth - venue for sailing - and across the U.K.

In his written ministerial statement, he said there would also be "an appropriate and scalable air security plan", which would include the use of Typhoon aircraft, helicopters operating from HMS Ocean, moored at Greenwich in London, and appropriate ground-based air defence systems.

"The MOD will increase the normal capacity of the Armed Forces in several specialist areas which are routinely provided to the civil authorities, in order to provide an enhanced level of capability and response, including explosive ordnance disposal, military working dogs and the capability to search vehicles and buildings," he added.

Hammond underlined that the MOD's contribution was on a similar scale to that deployed at other recent Olympics "and will contribute to ensuring a safe, secure and enjoyable 2012 Olympics".

The Olympics are set to be Britain's largest peacetime security operation.

This was underlined last week when the government nearly doubled the Game security budget to about $860 million. An estimated 23,700 security guards will be recruited to protect the venues; the Home Office had previously budgeted for 10,000.

Ticket Sales Revenues on Target

London 2012 ticket sales have already generated $816 million in revenues.

LOCOG chief executive Paul Deighton told parliament's Public Accounts Committee on Wednesday that organizers were on track to meet revenue targets, with only about $201 million still to raise from the remaining sales phases.

"That's 130 of a total 200 I've yet to collect on our revenue side," he was quoted by Reuters.

He noted that in September, LOCOG met its $1.1 billion sponsorship target after signing Westfield as the official shopping center developer. Westfield was LOCOG's 44th domestic sponsor.

But members of the Public Accounts Committee were quick to criticize the government's $1.2 billion spent on tickets to entertain VIPS during the Games.

"You, for dignitaries, have spent three-quarters of a million, 72,000 nearly on 142 tickets for the closing ceremony. It sticks in the gullet," said committee member MargaretHodge.

LOCOG announced Wednesday the details of its ticket resale plan. Officials emphasized that it was a criminal offense to resell Olympic or Paralympic tickets on the open market without the permission of LOCOG.

Those who have bought tickets directly from LOCOG will be able to resell them via www.tickets.london2012.com from Jan. 6 until Feb. 3. Further opportunities to resell tickets arise in the spring.

"We asked people to buy tickets more than a year out from the Games and mindful of that, we promised that we would create this system for people whose circumstances may have changed to enable them to resale their tickets legally and safely," Deighton said in a statement.

Remaining tickets for the Olympic football tournament and the Paralympic Games are currently on sale until Feb. 6.

Decathlon Legend Backs BOA Anti-Doping Bylaw

Britain's Double Olympic decathlon champion Daley Thompson has weighed in with his support for the BOA's lifetime ban on drugscheats.

The BOA is challenging the World Anti-Doping Agency's ruling that the ban is "non-compliant" with its code at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

"If we are the only country in the world prepared to have those high standards, then so be it," he told BBC Sport on the sidelines of the Laureus World Sports Academy awareds nominations in London Thursday.

"If the people from WADA - who are supposed to be looking after the interests of the good guys but don't - if they're are upset with me then so be it.

"But I do think it's time that sport was as healthy as it possibly can be and, at the moment in terms of drugs, I don't believe that a strong enough position is taken."

The BOA and WADA are seeking a decision by CAS before the end of April.

VeloPark Legacy Plan Takes Shape

The Olympic Park Legacy Company on Thursday submitted plans to deliver a "world-class" VeloPark legacy after the Games.

The post-Olympic scheme calls for the construction of a 1.5km road cycle circuit and 8km of mountain bike trails around the existing velodrome and BMX track.

The plans have been agreed by British Cycling, Sport England and Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, who will own and operate the Lee Valley VeloPark after the Games. It will sit in the north of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

"These top-class outdoor cycling facilities will add to the already impressive velodrome to create a complete cycling complex that will appeal to a wider range of riders and spectators," said Andrew Altman, CEO of the legacy company.

Ian Drake, chief executive of British Cycling, said: "Such facilities are essential if we’re to continue to attract more people to the sport and this will be a legacy from 2012 in which we can all take great pride."

Reported by Mark Bisson

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