altLONDON 2012 must have the venues for all 26 sports, including the controversial shooting range, finalised by March, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said today.

 

Gilbert Felli, the IOC's executive director of the Olympic Games, said today that London organisers are still deciding on two venues - a joint facility for badminton and rhythmic gymnastics and a location for shooting.

 

As a cost-cutting measure, London 2012 organisers said recently they are considering scrapping a temporary, 6,000-seat venue for badminton and rhythmic gymnastics and moving the sports to an existing facility, expected to be Wembley.

 

They also are weighing whether to move shooting from its present site at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolich to either the National Shooting Centre at Bisley or a new venue at Barking.

Fencing and volleyball have already been moved to existing permanent sites as the Government is under pressure to keep costs down.

 

Felli, who was attending the IOC's ruling Executive Board in Lausanne, said: "There remains one issue on the venue of shooting.

 

"Now there are some discussions to see if there is another land... that could be used."

 

"We have asked that, at least in March, all of that will be closed so that we know where all the venues are."

 

In the wake of the financial crisis, London is also struggling to secure private financing from banks to build the £1 billion Athletes' Village.

Felli said the IOC was not concerned with the cost-related issues linked to the Olympic Village.
 
He said: "We received information that some part of the contingency fund was necessary.
 
"That is why you have a contingency fund."
 
The IOC also decided to use the Hilton Hyde Park hotel as its official hotel during the Games and the nearby Intercontinental as the official National Olympic Committee's hotel, Felli said.