On the Town - Club France; House of Switzerland; P&G, ATR Honor Women in Sport

P&G, ATR Honor Women in Sport

IOC members and international federation leaders came together in Africa Village over the weekend to acknowledge the role women play in sport –not just as athletes and administrators but also as wives, mothers and daughters.

"We wanted to celebrate the role of women across the world of sport," saidAround the Ringseditor Ed Hula.

Among the sporting women honored at the event were Gunilla Lindberg, IOC member from Sweden and ANOC vice president; Beatrice Allen, IOC member from Gambia; Gudrun Doll-Tepper, vice president of the German NOC; and Beng Choo Low, secretary general of the International Softball Federation.

Hula said he was delighted to team up with P&G and praised their work in supporting the Olympic Movement, particularly in relation to women in Africa.

Standa Vecera, general manager for P&G in South and East Africa, explained now is a fitting time to honor women in sport because, for the first time, every country at the Olympics has female athletes competing.

"Sport teaches children lessons that you can’t learn in school," Vecera said, stressing P&G’s commitment to sport. "It teaches them discipline and how to accept defeat.

"We are happy to be working with NOCs across Africa providing a better future for kids through sport, already touching two million children."

To Bid or Not to Bid

Plans to bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics are clear in Switzerland's Red Zone, a hospitality venue beside London Bridge that is certainly designed to impress.

"Hosting the 2022 Olympic Games offers the opportunity to have the eyes of the world on our nation and would be an enormous privilege for Switzerland. It would provide a platform to present Switzerland at its finest and give us the opportunity to show how the country is developing advanced environmental technologies, with the aim to promote sustainability in the Olympic Movement," saidAmbassador Nicolas Bideau, head of Presence Switzerland at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

"Of course, the Red Zone at London 2012 allows us to showcase the various strengths and characteristics Switzerland has to offer. This includes sharing information about a possible bid for the Olympic Games 2022.

"It has, however, not yet been confirmed that Switzerland will bid for the Winter Games. In March 2013 the Swiss people will vote to approve the budget and only then will we be able to definitely confirm that we will put in our bid."

Switzerland, which has not hosted the Winter Olympics since 1948, is looking at a bid involving St. Moritz and Davos, with the former having hosted the Games for Switzerland twice in the past.

The venue will be open until August 12. For more details, click here.

Sudan Looks Ahead to Rio

The sights and sounds of Africa are proving a big draw in attracting people to the Africa Village in Kensington Gardens.

It's the first time that ANOCA has put together one continent in one place, and while not every country is involved, it already looks likely that the village will be even bigger and better in Rio.

"Our country is not here, but we will be in Rio," said Hashim Abdulrazig, president of the Sudan Olympic Committee. "The concept is really good, and it is far away from politics. It is giving people the chance to experience different cultures.

"This fits in with the Olympic spirit because people get to know about other people through culture and sport more than anything else."

He is already looking ahead to how the Sudan display can reflect the country that boasts more than 500 tribes and is home to many historic sites.

Libya is one of the countries featured at Africa Village, and Marwan Maghur, secretary of the LOC, believes the village is a big success, although he has ideas for improvements.

"Next time, I would like it to be a bit more focused on sports history in the countries and not so much about tourism," he said.

A Taste of France

It’s not quite the Riviera, but visitors can enjoy the tastes of France alongside the river Thames during the Games.

Located in Old Billingsgate Market, the National Olympic and Sports Committee of France has set up its house in a prime location in the city. Members of the public can visit, but not as late as some other houses, as it's open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. except for special events.

Plenty of screens show all the important Olympic action, and there are even virtual bikes set up so you can have a go in the virtual velodrome or around London’s famous landmarks. The food and drinks are of typical French quality, though at a price – a pint of Heineken costs $8.

The price of admission is $8, although Olympic spectators with a ticket for the day can get in for free.

Food for Thought

Three of London’s top Indian chefs joked that the poor performance of Olympians from their home country is because the food is too good.

"We have too many good chefs," smiled Vivek Singh, executive chef and CEO of The Cinnamon Club.

Michael Phelps has double the number of gold medals won by India throughout the history of the Games, and only trails their total number of medals by one. As of Sunday night, India’s 83-strong team had claimed one silver and two bronze medals in London.

Atul Kochhar, chief director of Benares, is frustrated that a country of 1.2 billion people struggles to make an impact on the world stage.

"I think it is down to time, to focus and to facilities, but with the right changes I do not think it is impossible to improve," he said. "Too many young people realize too late that they want to compete in sport. In China, as soon as they are born they are told that you want to be an athlete."

While India’s athletes might not make an impact, Singh, Kochhar and fellow top chef Alfred Prasad are delighted that they are playing their part in making London the world’s premier dining destination.

"London is the gastronomy capital of the world," said Prasad. "It is the diversity that puts it on top with cuisines, ingredients and communities from all corners of the world."

Potty Lady

Flowers feature in every medal ceremony at the Olympics, but visitors to London Bridge station have been enjoying their own strange floral display.

At the entrance to the station, a heavy built woman with a flower pot in place of her head is proving a big hit with visitors who join her for a picture. The flowers do not speak, but the regal wave ensures that everyone knows she is a friendly figure.

Reported by Matt Horn and Christian Radnedge

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