Sochi Venues Ready by 2012; Security Top Concern for Rio

Sochi Venues Ready by 2012

Organizers of the Sochi 2014 Olympics pledged all competition venues will be completed by 2012.

Dmitry Chernyshenko, president and CEO of Sochi 2014 made the promise Monday at the Global Sports Industry Conference in London.

"All of the work is being carried out in accordance with the schedule, approved by the IOC" he said.

"More than 20,000 people are working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, creating a base for the most innovative Games that the world has ever seen. By the year 2012, all of the competition venues will be put into operation so that we can ensure that two full-seasons on test competitions can be held before the opening of the Games."

He also announced that Sochi 2014’s marketing program enabled them to operate without any government support for the 2009-10 fiscal year.

While in London, Chernyshenko will meet with LOCOG executives and tour several venues for the 2012 Games.

Rogge: Security Biggest Concern for Rio

IOC president Jacques Rogge says security will be Rio de Janeiro’s toughest challenge while preparing for the 2016 Olympics.

In an interview with Brazilian sports newspaper Lance! he said security has always been a top priority since the 1972 Olympics when 11 Israeli Olympic team members died in a terrorist attack.

"I’m not saying Rio is not capable. I believe that Rio is able to provide good security for 2016 but I have to say that the number one issue is security. We are talking about human lives."

He added "there’s no guarantees when it comes to security. London won the right to host the 2012 Games on the basis that the city was well-equipped on the security front. And two days later, there was a (terrorist) attack."

Second London 2012 Shop Opens

London 2012 opened its second merchandising shop and announced further details of its retail program on Monday.

The 700sq ft shop at London's Paddington Station will sell a range of 2012 items.

It is modeled on the store at St. Pancras Station, which opened on July 27 to mark the two-year countdown to the Games.

LOCOG also announced that its in-venue retail outlets at Games time will be operated by threelicensees. They will be responsible for managing about 80 different points of sales across all competition and non-competition venues.

IMG will operate retail outlets at Wimbledon. The Retail People will run shops at all other competition and non-competition venues. Event Merchandise will operate as a special purpose retailer.

BOA Examines Blueprint for 2012 Success

Leaders from the 26 Olympic sports that will collectively comprise Team GB at the London Olympics are gathering for a two-day summit on 2012 preparations.

Led by the British Olympic Association's chef de mission, Andy Hunt, they will present the blueprint for success in 2012 and provide a detailed look at high performance, operations and logistics plans to support Team GB prior to and during the Games.

The Nov. 1 to 2 meeting takes place at Loughborough University, the location of Team GB’s training camp in the final weeks prior to the opening of the Games.

Memorial for Slain Israeli Athletes

A new campaign was launched to promote awareness of the terrorist attack at the 1972 Olympics where 11 Israeli Olympic team members died.

The campaign currently consists of a website, munich11.org, with pages explaining what happened on Sept. 5, 1972.

"It is hoped that the website will help raise awareness and help persuade the Olympics to recognize the 40th anniversary of the tragedy at the 2012 Olympics in London," said David Kirschtel, CEO of JCC Rockland in a statement.

The Jewish Community Council of Rockland started the campaign. Its activities will ramp up for the London Olympics and the 2012 Maccabiah Games, a multi-sport event for Jewish athletes.

Media Watch

Golf and rugby rejoining the Olympic program helped prompt HSBC to sponsor the two sports, according to a Reuters report.

Alan Abrahamson blogs about what the International Athletes’ Forum and World Conference on Women and Sport will mean for the USOC and its thawing tension with the IOC.

Written by Mark Bisson and Ed Hula III.