London 2012

Rogge met by Coe and Sir Craig as he touches down in London

By Duncan Mackay

By Duncan Mackay at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London

Jacques Rogge_with_Sebastian_Coe_and_Sir_Craig_Reedie_Heathrow_July_20_2012

Jacques Rogge_with_Sebastian_Coe_and_Sir_Craig_Reedie_Heathrow_July_20_2012

July 20 - International Olympic Committee (IOC) President was greeted by Sebastian Coe and Sir Craig Reedie as he arrived in London for the start of the Olympics in exactly a week's time as excitment begins to mount, especially with the arrivial of the Olympic Torch in the capital.

London Olympic Stadium won't burn after the Games it will trailblaze, says project architect

By Mike Rowbottom at the London Media Centre in Westminster

July 20 - The project architect for the London Olympic stadium at a media briefing on the Olympic venues said here today that he hoped its design would mark a new era in sporting events – and added that he never seriously feared it would be torn down, despite Tottenham Hotspur's former plans to totally redevelop the site.

Tennis ace Sharapova to carry Russia flag at Olympic Opening Ceremony

By David Gold

July 20 - Russian tennis ace Maria Sharapova, who was raised in Sochi, will carry the Olympic flag for her country at the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games on July 27.

Final Road to London exhibition opens ahead of the Games

By David Gold at the National Potrait Gallery in London

July 19 - Aiming High, the final Road to London exhibition, has opened at the National Portrait Gallery in London, celebrating some of Britain's leading Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

Extra 1,200 troops put on standby for London 2012

By David Owen

July 19 - The British Government has put an additional 1,200 troops on standby for the Olympics as it continues to deal with the fall-out from the G4S fiasco.

Contingency plans in place for border strike to ensure London 2012 not disrupted, claims Hunt

By Tom Degun at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London

July 19 - Jeremy Hunt, the highest-ranking politican with responsbility for London 2012, has slammed the plans of United Kingdom border staff to go on strike on the eve of the Olympics claiming "they would lose huge amounts of public support" if they carried out such action.

"I have a dream," declares Hearn as he renews Olympic Stadium sharing mission

By Emily Goddard

By Andrew Warshaw

July 19 - Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn has renewed his call for sharing the Olympic Stadium with West Ham United once London 2012 is over.

London 2012 faces new threat as UK border staff vote for strike

By Emily Goddard

By Tom Degun at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London

July 18 - London 2012 face a major new threat after United Kingdom border staff voted to go ahead with a one-day strike in a move that could see Heathrow Airport grind to a halt with the Olympics now just days away.

British Olympians and Paralympians embrace Join in Local Sport initiative

By David Gold at the BT Tower in London

July 18 - Thirty British Olympic and Paralympic legends, including 1988 hockey gold medallist Sean Kerly and Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson, the country's best-known Paralympian, have taken part in a telethon to promote the Join in Local Sport initiative here this morning.

Sir Steve Redgrave announces £19.4 million boost for community sports projects

By Tom Degun at Britannia Village Hall in London

July 17 - Sir Steve Redgrave, Britain's five-times Olympic rowing champion, was on hand here today to announce that 377 community sports projects will benefit from £19.4 million ($30.3 million/€24.7 million) of National Lottery money through Sport England's Inspired Facilities Olympic legacy fund.

British Virgin Islands greeted by Coe at first Olympic Village Welcome Ceremony

By Mike Rowbottom at the Olympic Village in London

July 17 - Sebastian Coe, the London 2012 chairman, made an unscheduled appearance in the Olympic Village here this afternoon for the first of what will be 204 Welcoming Ceremonies at the Games – with the two-strong British Virgin Islands team receiving the first official greeting.

London 2012 Olympic media building set to be turned into cloud computing centre

By Duncan Mackay

By Duncan Mackay at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London

July 17 - The £295 million ($461 million/€376 million) Olympics media centre looks set to be turned into a cloud computing centre after iCity were today selected as the preferred bidder by the London Legacy Development Corporation (LDDC).

London 2012 security error "a humiliating shambles", admits G4S boss

By Emily Goddard

By David Gold at Westminster in London

July 17 - The security blunder that has marred London 2012's preparations for this summer's Olympic and Paralympic Games was "a humiliating shambles", G4S head Nick Buckles admitted here today.

Cabbie Games Lanes protest brings central London to a standstill

By Emily Goddard

By David Gold in Westminster in London

July 17 - Cab drivers staged a protest this afternoon against not being allowed to use London's controversial Olympic Games Lanes, bringing roads in the centre of the city to a halt.

Every country to be represented at London 2012 after Kuwait suspension lifted

By Duncan Mackay

By Duncan Mackay at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London

July 16 - Kuwait will be allowed to compete under its own flag at London 2012 after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) lifted its two-year ban on the Gulf state.

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Fact of the day

When British skaters Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean won the Olympic gold medal in ice dance at Sarajevo 1984 with 12 perfect 6.0s from every judge, for their interpretation of Maurice Ravel's Boléro, an important member of their team was singer-actor Michael Crawford. Crawford, who had played Frank Spencer in British sitcom Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em and the title role in the musical The Phantom of the Opera, had become a mentor to the pair in 1981 and went on to help them create their Olympic routine. Crawford said he “taught them how to act". He was present with their trainer Betty Callaway at the ringside at Sarajevo as they created one of the most iconic moments in Olympic history.

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Pierre de Coubertin once said cricket has "practically no appeal for those who are not British". While he expressed doubts about the Olympic viability of cricket, lacrosse and baseball, Philip Barker wonders how the man who helped revive the modern Games would have reacted to new sports at Los Angeles 2028.

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