London Olympic Highlights of the Week

IOC Announces Olympic Highlights of the Week

This week, IOC President Jacques Rogge was in Quebec City (Canada) for the IOC Executive Board (EB) meeting and the 10th SportAccord Convention.

(PRWEB) May 27, 2012

This week, IOC President Jacques Rogge was in Quebec City (Canada) for the IOC Executive Board (EB) meeting and the 10th SportAccord Convention.

On 22 May, he attended a large charity event organised by the Canadian NOC and aimed at raising funds to support young Canadian athletes. The 4,100 guests included the Premier of Quebec, Jean Charest, whom he met afterwards, the President of the Canadian NOC, Marcel Aubut, the mayor of Quebec City, Regis Labeaume, and more than 100 Canadian athletes.

A few hours later, he addressed the delegates of the SportAccord Convention, chaired by IOC Honorary Member Hein Verbruggen, at the official opening ceremony.

The following day, President Rogge attended the joint meetings of the EB and the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), then the Association of the International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF), before chairing the EB’s discussions.

The EB took a number of decisions at its meetings from 23 to 25 May. Three candidate cities were selected from those bidding to host the 2020 Olympic Games: Istanbul (Turkey), Tokyo (Japan) and Madrid (Spain).

The EB agenda also included the presentation of reports by the chairmen of the Coordination Commissions for forthcoming Games: Denis Oswald for London 2012, Jean-Claude Killy for Sochi 2014, Nawal El Moutawakel for Rio 2016 and Gunilla Lindberg for PyeongChang 2018. The EB was also updated on the state of preparations for the 2012 and 2018 Games by the chairmen of their respective organising committees, Sebastian Coe and Jin Sun Kim. The EB also noted the preparations for the forthcoming editions of the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing in 2014 and Lillehammer in 2016, as well as a report on the YOG held in Innsbruck in January 2012.

The EB also heard a report on the situation of certain NOCs.

A full report on the EB meetings in Quebec City can be found at http://www.olympic.org (“News” section).

During his stay in Quebec, President Rogge attended a reception hosted by the President of the Quebec National Assembly, Jacques Chagnon. He also met Michaelle Jean, Grand Témoin de la Francophonie for the Games in London, who presented him with the agreement between the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) and the London Games Organising Committee (LOCOG). He also met the President and Chief Executive of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (CISS), Craig Crowley and Mark Cooper respectively.

MEMBERS
Francesco Ricci Bitti was elected President of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) at its General Assembly in Quebec City. President of the International Tennis Federation (ITF), he will replace Denis Oswald as ASOIF President on 1 January 2013.

Ching-Kuo Wu has been nominated by the ASOIF for election to the IOC Executive Board, as representative of the summer IFs.

René Fasel, AIOWF representative, was nominated for election to the IOC Executive Board as representative of the winter IFs.

Irena Szewinska, six-times Olympic medallist, is the latest athletics legend to be named as a member of the Hall of Fame of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). She joins the other 23 inaugural members who will be inducted during the IAAF Centenary Gala in Barcelona (Spain) on 24 November 2012).

The President of the Organising Committee of the 2016 Games in Rio, Carlos Arthur Nuzman has received the Personality of the Year Award, presented by the Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and the Brazilian Embassy in London. The other winner was the LOCOG chairman, Sebastian Coe. These awards honour two leaders who have been particularly instrumental in forging closer ties between Brazil and the United Kingdom.

Lydia Nsekera was recently co-opted on to the Executive Committee of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). This decision will be ratified by the FIFA Congress. President of the Burundi Football Association, she is a member of the FIFA Committee for Women’s Football and the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and of the FIFA Organising Committee for the Olympic Football Tournaments.

OTHER NEWS
On 24 May, the IOC and the United States NOC announced the signature of a new revenue-sharing agreement. This agreement will govern the financial relationship between the two organisations for 20 years, beginning in 2020.

INTERNATIONAL SPORTS FEDERATIONS
SUMMER IFS
In order to strengthen its commercial organisation and activities, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has established its own subsidiary, FIBA Media & Marketing Services SA. This affiliate will operate from the FIBA offices in Geneva (Switzerland) and will concentrate on the development, management and delivery of all of FIBA’s media, marketing and event activities.

Training centre for the International Cycling Union (UCI), the World Cycling Centre (WCC) in Aigle (Switzerland) recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Labelled as an “Olympic Training Centre” by the IOC, the WCC has welcomed some 571 athletes from 118 different countries. These trainees have won two Olympic titles and 32 World Championship titles. The WCC also makes its facilities available to national federations and individual athletes preparing for international competitions.

Meeting in St Petersburg (Russian Federation) on 18 and 19 May, the Council of the International GymnasticsFederation (FIG) took a number of decisions, including the provisional admission of the federation of Benin (final decision to be taken by the General Assembly) and the appointment of the Norwegian federation and the city of Vestfold as hosts of the 3rd edition of the World Gym for Life Challenge in July 2017.

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) and the 2012 Olympic Games Organising Committee have unveiled the Olympic hockey competition schedule. You can see which teams will play each other in the preliminary rounds of the men’s and women’s tournaments by visiting http://www.fih.ch

The International Judo Federation (IJF) informs us that, in a few weeks’ time, its African Olympic Training Centre in Algiers (Algeria) will temporarily close its doors due to the London Games. Over the past two years or so, more than 60 athletes from 26 African countries have visited the centre, including ten judoka who have qualified for London 2012.

The Council of the International Rugby Board (IRB) has approved the application from the American Samoa Rugby Football Union (ASRFU) to become a full member and that from the United Arab Emirates Rugby Association (UAERA) for associate membership. The IRB now has 98 full members and 20 associate members.

NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES
This year, the Brazilian NOC will celebrate Olympic Day in the five regions of the country. On 15 May, the city of Serra, in the state of Espírito Santo, hosted a number of special events. Pupils and teachers from local schools took part in sports, cultural and educational activities. Celebrations will also be held in Amapá, Bahia, Goiás, Rio Grande do Sul and Rio de Janeiro. The Olympic Day Run on 23 June will take place in São Paulo. In Rio, there will be workshops for schoolchildren, talks by Olympic athletes, etc.

With 66 days to go until the start of the London Games, the British NOC organised its final Team Leader Workshop in Stratford. Led by Andy Hunt, Chef de Mission of the London 2012 delegation, the workshop was held at Team GB House and included a visit to the Olympic Village. More than 150 people - team leaders, medical staff and press officers from all 26 Olympic sports – took part.

The Italian team uniform for the London Games was officially unveiled in Milan on 10 May. The launch was attended by the President of the Italian NOC, Giovanni Petrucci, the Secretary General and Chef de Mission of the Italian team in London, Raffaele Pagnozzi, and the internationally renowned fashion designer Giorgio Armani, who designed the uniform. Fifteen Olympic champions paraded with the uniform.

Under the patronage of HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein, NOC President and IOC member, the Jordanian NOC held a ceremony in honour of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games delegations in Amman on 16 May. Held at the residence of the British Ambassador, Peter Millett, the event was attended by the Jordan Paralympic Committee President, HRH Prince Raad bin Zaid. A record nine athletes will represent Jordan at the Olympic Games and 14 at the Paralympic Games. Jordan is hoping to win its first ever Olympic medal this summer.

Around 5,000 people took part in the “From green Ulaanbaatar to Olympic London" run in support of the Mongolian team for the 2012 Games. The participants included S. Batbold, Prime Minister of Mongolia and Vice-President of the Mongolian NOC, his wife and former archer H. Otgontuya, Health Minister N. Khurelbaatar, National Teams Director and Deputy Chef de Mission Ts. Odonbayar, Olympic marathon runner B. Ser-Od and many other prominent personalities from the worlds of sport, art, culture and society. This race will be organised throughout the country until the start of the Games, covering a distance of 12,250km, the exact distance between Ulaanbaatar and London.

The Venezuelan NOC recently unveiled the uniform to be worn by the Olympic delegation in London this summer. A group of athletes, some of whom have already qualified for London 2012, paraded with the uniform. So far, 53 Venezuelan athletes have secured their ticket for London.

ORGANISING COMMITTEES OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES
LONDON 2012
On 17 May, the Organising Committee of the 2012 Games in London (LOCOG) received the Olympic flame at the end of its 3,000km eight-day relay around Greece, during a ceremony at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens. Greek NOC President Spyros Capralos handed over the flame to the London 2012 delegation, led by the Princess Royal, President of the British Olympic Association and LOCOG board member, and accompanied by LOCOG chairman Sebastian Coe.

This week, LOCOG officially unveiled the design of the Games tickets. Each ticket design features a pictogram for the corresponding sport, while the colour scheme reflects the venue at which the event will take place.

RECOGNISED ORGANISATIONS
On the day before the Annual General Meeting of the International World Games Association (IWGA), President Ron Froehlich, and Rafał Dutkiewicz, Mayor of the City of Wroclaw, signed the Host Agreement for The World Games 2017. The Polish city will host the 10th edition of these Games, following Cali (Colombia), the host city for The World Games in 2013. The signing ceremony took place on the occasion of the SportAccord Convention in Quebec City.

For more information, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team.

Torch Relay Will Visit Gloucester Cathedral

Day 6: Torch Relay Will Visit Gloucester Cathedral and Severn Valley Railway on Journey from Cheltenham to Worcester

On Thursday 24 May the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay – presented by Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung – will travel from Cheltenham to Worcester. The Olympic Flame will travel 99.05 miles through 19 communities.

PRWEB) May 24, 2012

On Thursday 24 May the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay – presented by Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung – will travel from Cheltenham to Worcester. The Olympic Flame will travel 99.05 miles through 19 communities. 

• On Day 6 the Torch Relay will travel 99.05 miles
• 119 inspirational Torchbearers will carry the Flame
• Evening celebration to take place at Worcester County Cricket Ground
• Images from the day will be available to download from here throughout the day

119 Torchbearers will carry the Flame before it arrives at the Evening Celebration in Worcester where a cauldron will be lit to mark the culmination of the day’s festivities. After the celebrations have finished, the Flame will be transferred to a lantern and it will stay in Worcester overnight.

On Day 6 the Flame will be carried through the following communities:
Gloucester, Maisemore, Hartpury, Corse and Staunton, Ledbury, Bartestree, Lugwardine, Hereford, Leominster, Ludlow, Clee Hill, Cleobury Mortimer, Far Forest, Callow Hill, Bewdley, Kidderminster, Droitwitch Spa, Fernhill Heath and Worcester.

During the day the Flame will also visit a number of iconic landmarks including:
Gloucester Docks, where the Flame will be carried by 19-year-old George Livingstone-Thompson from Gloucester, who was nominated through the Coca-Cola Future Flames programme for his voluntary work for people with disabilities.

Gloucester Cathedral, where the Flame will be carried by aspiring fencer, Sophie Williams, who is 21-years-old from Cornwall, who was nominated for her extraordinary progress in the last two years.

Severn Valley Railway, where the Flame will be carried on the train from Bewdley to Kidderminster by 43-year-old Christopher Stokes from Kidderminster.

Other Torchbearers during the day will include:

Sharron Davies, who is carrying the Flame in Leominster in recognition of her Olympic Swimming career. Sharron has remained in the public eye as a commentator, presenter and active charity worker. She pioneered her own annual swimming event, Swim for Life, which involves over 2000 pools nationwide and helps raise money for many different causes.

Yasmin Boff, 12, from Evesham and carrying the Flame in Gloucester. Yasmin, who was nominated through the LOCOG campaign, is an exceptional talented young swimmer. Last year she broke the UK age record for the 50m backstroke and has won countless medals and trophies. She was recently selected to train with the Elite 2 swimming squad in Coventry and with the support and commitment of her family, she now trains there five times a week.

Robert Powell, 60, from Hereford, was nominated through the Lloyds TSB campaign. Robert is carrying the Flame in Hereford and has been selected thanks to his involvement with MS Society. Robert chairs his local MS Society branch and has raised tens of thousands of pounds through running and cycling.

Lucy Fellows, 15, from Worcestershire carrying the Flame in Ludlow. Despite suffering from a rare genetic condition called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, Lucy is a full-time carer for her mother who suffers from a severe form of her own condition. Beyond being a carer, Lucy’s an A* student, an active member of the local community within her Girl Guides and Rangers, as well as a member of a local wildlife group. Lucy was nominated through the Samsung campaign.

Stuart Woodburn, 30, from Worcestershire and carrying the Flame in Ledbury. Stuart, who was nominated the through the LOCOG campaign, has worked at Aston Fields for four years, and works as a Year 5 form teacher as well as teaching: Director of KS2 English, Maths, P.E and HSSE (History, Geography and Religious Education). Throughout his career at our school, he's received outstanding performance from the head teacher and works to, not only support pupils and support other staff, but also inspire everyone at school, especially in sport.

Thomas Neathway, 28, from Worcestershire was nominated by Worcester City Council through the LOCOG campaign. Thomas, who will carry the Flame in Worcester, joined the Parachute Regiment in 2001 and is a veteran of multiple tours of Northern Ireland, Iraq & Afghanistan. On his last Afghan tour in 2008, Tom triggered a booby trap while covering his platoon moving forward. The blast took off both his feet and the severity of his wounds led to amputation of both legs and one arm.

The evening celebration will take place at Worcester County Cricket Ground from 4pm. The evening celebration will feature a variety of entertainment staged by LOCOG and the three Presenting Partners of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay - Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung.

The line-up includes music from Labrinth, a dance troupe who will provide a unique fusion of street performance, theatre and sport and dance act Twist and Pulse. A locally recruited community choir will also perform.

Towards the end of the two-hour show, the last Torchbearer of the day - Sally Flood, from Bromsgrove who was nominated for her charity work - will light a celebration cauldron on stage at the event which will enable the Olympic Flame to be seen by the audience.

The Olympic Torch Relay will also include exciting moments with extreme heights, high speeds and breath-taking spectacles and the Flame will be travelling by different methods of transport including horseback, bicycle, tram and steam-train. Every county in England and every Local Authority area in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales will host the Olympic Flame, with visits reaching as far north as Lerwick in Scotland to St Helier in the south, Lowestoft in the east and Enniskillen in the west. Many thousands of people are expected to welcome the Olympic Flame along the route each day and celebrate the achievements of the Torchbearers in parks, squares and streets right around the UK.

The convoy travelling with the Flame consists of 14 core vehicles, including a pilot car, Torchbearer drop-off and pick-up shuttles, Presenting Partner vehicles, a media vehicle, a command car and security vehicles. The lead convoy, including the Presenting Partner vehicles, will provide entertainment for the crowds. The Torchbearer will follow some 5 to 7 minutes later.

A crew of approximately 350 people will be working each day of the Relay. Core teams of LOCOG staff, the Metropolitan Police Torch Security Team, Presenting Partners, host Police Forces and host Local Authorities will be working together throughout the 70 days.

James Williams, Director, Olympic Torch Relay, The Coca-Cola Company, said: ‘We’re five days into what is shaping up to be an incredible 70 day journey around the UK. We’re so excited to join with the crowds lining the streets to celebrate our inspirational Coca-Cola Future Flames as they carry the Olympic Flame through their local communities, for example today George Livingstone-Thompson will run in Gloucester. We’re continuing to spread the magic of London 2012 across the United Kingdom, and will be getting everyone to Move to the Beat tonight as we bring Labrinth to the stage in Worcester.’

Sally Hancock, Director, 2012 Partnership at Lloyds Banking Group, said: ‘The Olympic Torch Relay will mark the moment when every corner of the UK will start to feel the excitement of London 2012. Lloyds TSB is creating as many opportunities as possible for people to get involved as the Olympic Flame passes their front doors. We’re calling on everyone to come and line the streets to cheer on their local Lloyds TSB Torchbearers and celebrate with our troupe of performers the Flame Followers who will use a unique fusion of performance to bring the excitement of the Flame to communities.’

Mr Sunny Hwang, Vice President & Head of Global Sports Marketing, Samsung Electronics, said: ‘Samsung is delighted to be a Presenting Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay and we feel the Torchbearers selected for the Cheltenham to Worcester route really do demonstrate the ‘gone the extra mile’ community element that lies at the heart of our Olympic Torch Relay London 2012 campaign. We’re delighted that Lucy Fellows who is full time carer for her mother will be running and representing Samsung at this stage.’

For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office.

Notes to editors:

Each day two short packages of broadcast footage will be made available. The packages will be available via the Footage library – accessible from the Media Centre on london2012.com and direct from this linkhttp://footagelibrary.london2012.com. Media will need to register for access in advance. Registration is free.

The broadcast of the Olympic Torch Relay is provided for Editorial Use Only. There can be no commercial association, no third party association and no commercial/ad superimposition on the video footage, unless the prior written consent of the IOC is acquired.

About the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners:

As the longest standing Presenting Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay, Coca-Cola will be using its heritage and experience to spread excitement across the UK ahead of London 2012. Coca-Cola's national nomination campaign - Future Flames – has focused on finding inspirational young people from across the country to have the once in a lifetime opportunity to carry the Olympic Flame. This summer Coca-Cola will celebrate these Future Flames: young people who use their passions in areas like sport and physical activity, music and dance, and community and the environment; to spread happiness in their local communities.

As the only National Presenting Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, Lloyds TSB will be taking the inspiration and excitement of the Olympic Flame right to the heart of communities across the UK. As part of Lloyds Banking Group, Bank of Scotland will be the National Presenting Partner in Scotland. We are creating as many opportunities as possible for communities the length and breadth of the UK to get involved as the Flame travels past their front doors. Lloyds TSB’s troupe of performers the Flame Followers will be travelling ahead of the Flame to excite crowds with a unique fusion of street performance, theatre and sport celebrating the endeavour, athleticism, agility and skill of Olympic sporting heroes, Team GB.

Lloyds Banking Group is Britain’s biggest corporate investor in UK communities and in 2011 invested £85 million and as part of the Group’s Community Investment Programme, we’ve launched the Lloyds Banking Group Community Fund to give back to the communities in which we operate and pass through on our journey with the Olympic Flame. We’re inviting everyone to visit the Lloyds TSB stand at each Evening Celebration to vote for a community project in their area that inspires and supports young people. By voting at the Evening Celebration members of the public will automatically enter a draw to win four tickets to London 2012. The two projects that receive the most votes at each locality will each win a £5,000 grant from Lloyds Banking Group. At the Lloyds TSB site members of the public will also have the opportunity to have their photo taken with the Olympic Torch, meet Lloyds TSB Local Heroes – the future stars of Team GB and ParalympicsGB – and get up close to our Flame Followers.

As a Presenting Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, Samsung aims to encourage everyone to be part of the greatest show on Earth to make London 2012 ‘Everyone’s Olympic Games.’ We aspire to offer new and memorable experiences for everyone around the world through our own innovative and smart wireless technology. Samsung is providing 1,360 Torchbearers, who have “gone the extra mile” by contributing to the local communities, through its worldwide public nomination campaign. In total over 25,000 nominations were received. Samsung will support towns and cities to celebrate the exciting moment of the Torch Relay and help showcase Great Britain’s cultural landmarks to provide a more enjoyable experience to everyone. The evening celebrations that will be staged by Samsung in 66 towns and cities throughout the Olympic Flame’s journey across the UK, will allow Samsung to entertain the community they are visiting. The Samsung caravan, complete with LED screen on the side showcasing runners and goodwill messages, will follow the Torchbearers around the UK cheering up everyone to celebrate the Torch Relay with music and interaction with local communities. It is Samsung’s ambition that London 2012 will be an event that reaches and involves more people than on any other Olympic Games occasion.

The Supporters of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay are:
Worldwide Olympic Partners Procter and Gamble and Visa, Tier One Partners adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT and EDF, Tier Three Providers Aggreko, Holiday Inn and NATURE VALLEY.

The BBC will be providing extensive coverage of the Torch Relay on television, radio and online. This will include special Breakfast shows on every BBC local radio station, and extended live coverage of an evening celebration event in every Nation and English Region.

London 2012 Games partners:
The Worldwide Olympic Partners who support the London 2012 Olympic Games and the National Olympic Committees around the world are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos, Dow Chemical Company, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Procter and Gamble, Samsung and Visa.

LOCOG has seven domestic Tier One Partners - adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. There are seven domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, ArcelorMittal, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte, Thomas Cook and UPS.

There are now twenty-eight domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Aggreko, Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, CBS Outdoor, Crystal CG, Eurostar, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, G4S, GSK, Gymnova, Heathrow Airport, Heineken UK, Holiday Inn, John Lewis, McCann Worldgroup, Mondo, NATURE VALLEY, Next, Nielsen, Populous, Rapiscan Systems, Rio Tinto, Technogym, Thames Water, Ticketmaster, Trebor and Westfield

London 2012 Basketball Schedule

London 2012 Basketball Competition Schedule Announced

The London 2012 Olympic Basketball competition schedule has been confirmed, revealing when the teams will play each other in the preliminary rounds of the tournament at the Basketball Arena on the Olympic Park.

(PRWEB) May 23, 2012

The London 2012 Olympic Basketball competition schedule has been confirmed, revealing when the teams will play each other in the preliminary rounds of the tournament at the Basketball Arena on the Olympic Park.

The Women’s tournament will tip-off on Saturday 28 July and among the games on the first day will see Great Britain against world number two Australia. The Men’s tournament will tip-off on Sunday 29 July when games on the first day of competition include world number one USA beginning their defence of their Olympic title against France.

The Men’s and Women’s Olympic Basketball tournaments will each feature 12 teams. For the Men’s competition, nine teams have already qualified for London 2012 with the remaining three places to be decided at an Olympic Qualifying tournament in Venezuela from the 2nd–8th July. For the Women’s competition, seven teams have already qualified with the remaining five places to be decided at an Olympic Qualifying tournament in Turkey from the 25th June to 1st July. 

• The full Olympic Basketball competition schedule can be viewed here

Debbie Jevans, Director of Sport at LOCOG said: “TheOlympic Basketball tournament is sure to be one of the big hits of the summer with some of the biggest basketball stars in the world coming to London to compete for Gold. With the competition schedule now confirmed, teams and fans alike can start to get ready for the exciting encounters, world-class players and top teams we’ll see in action this summer.”

FIBA Secretary General and IOC Member Patrick Baumann said: "For every major Championship, the draw and subsequently the unveiling of the full competition schedule make for a major milestone. Players begin picturing themselves on the court and thinking about match-ups. Fans start imagining the atmosphere. The 2008 Men's Final between the USA and Spain was one of the greatest Olympic moments. It showed the huge strides international basketball had made in becoming more and more competitive. I expect this year's Olympic Basketball Tournaments will be a great and memorable spectacle for all."

Teams have been drawn into two groups for the Preliminary rounds of the Men’s and Women’s tournament. Teams will play each other in their respective groups during the Preliminary rounds before the top four teams from each groups move on to the Quarter-Finals of a standard knock-out tournament. The confirmed groups for the Preliminary stages are:

Olympic Men’s tournament:

Group A
Argentina
France
Tunisia
USA
2 remaining qualifiers

Group B
Australia
Brazil
China
Great Britain
Spain
1 remaining qualifier

(The remaining 3 qualifiers for the Men’s tournament will be decided at the Olympic qualifying tournament featuring Angola, Dominican Republic, Greece, Jordan, Korea, Lithuania, FYROM, New Zealand, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Russia and Venezuela – a draw on the final day of the qualifying tournament on July 8th will determine which of the 3 qualifying teams join which groups)

Olympic Women’s tournament:

Group A
Angola,
China,
USA
3 remaining qualifiers

Group B
Australia,
Brazil,
Great Britain,
Russia
2 remaining qualifiers

(The remaining 5 qualifiers in the Women’s tournament will be decided at the Olympic qualifying tournament featuring Argentina, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Japan, Korea, Mali, Mozambique, New Zealand, Puerto Rico and Turkey – a draw on the final day of the qualifying tournament on 1st July will determine which of the 5 qualifying teams join which groups)

During the London 2012 Games, the Basketball Arena on the Olympic Park will host the Men’s preliminary games and Women’s event up to quarter final stage. The men’s quarter-finals and women’s semi-finals onwards will then move to the North Greenwich Arena.

Notes to editors:

1. Images of the Basketball Arena can be downloaded from http://mm.gettyimages.com/mm/nicePath/locog?nav=pr152266667

2. Footage of the Basketball Arena is available from the London 2012 Footage Library -http://footagelibrary.london2012.com

3. For more information on the Olympic Basketball tournaments please go to http://london2012.fiba.com/

For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office.

London 2012 Games partners:

The Worldwide Olympic Partners who support the London 2012 Olympic Games and the National Olympic Committees around the world are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos, Dow, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Procter and Gamble, Samsung and Visa.

LOCOG has seven domestic Tier One Partners - adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. There are seven domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, ArcelorMittal, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte, Thomas Cook and UPS. There are now twenty-eight domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Aggreko, Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, CBS Outdoor, Crystal CG, Eurostar, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, G4S, GSK, Gymnova, Heathrow Airport, Heineken UK, Holiday Inn, John Lewis, McCann Worldgroup, Mondo, NATURE VALLEY, Next, Nielsen, Populous, Rapiscan Systems, Rio Tinto, Technogym, Thames Water, Ticketmaster, Trebor and Westfield.

There is one domestic Tier One Paralympic Games-only Partner, Sainsbury’s and one domestic Tier Three Paralympic Games-only Supplier, Otto Bock. The London 2012 Paralympic Games also acknowledges the support of the National Lottery.

London 2012 Olympic Tickets Availability Update

London 2012 Olympic Tickets – Availability Update in Advance of 23 May Sale

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has confirmed further details of the Olympic Games tickets which will be available in the general sale, which starts at 11am on Wednesday 23 May 2012.

(PRWEB) May 22, 2012

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has confirmed further details of the Olympic Games tickets which will be available in the general sale, which starts at 11am on Wednesday 23 May 2012. 

• No availability in Athletics, Cycling, Equestrian, Tennis, Swimming, Ceremonies, Canoe Slalom, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Modern Pentathlon, Synchronised Swimming, Triathlon
• Good availability of football tickets, including £20 tickets;
• Majority of remaining non-football tickets are at the higher price points

LINK TO PDF AVAILABILITY GUIDE HERE

There are several sports which will not be available for sale as all available tickets have been sold. These are:

Athletics, Athletics (Marathon), Canoe Slalom, Cycling (BMX, Road and Track), all Equestrian (Dressage, Eventing and Jumping), Rhythmic Gymnastics, Modern Pentathlon, Swimming, Marathon Swimming and Synchronised Swimming, Tennis, Triathlon and Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

There are still some £20 tickets available in the following sports;

Boxing, Fencing, Football, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Volleyball, Weightlifting and with limited availability, in Judo and Wrestling (both Freestyle and Greco-Roman).

There is still good availability in the following sports, but at higher price points from £45 to £450.

Archery, Badminton, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Canoe Sprint, Diving, Handball, Hockey

There is limited availability in the following price points in the following sports with tickets only available at the higher price points from £45 to £450.

Race Walk, Mountain Biking, Artistic Gymnastics, Rowing, Sailing and Water Polo.

There is low availability in Gymnastics (Trampoline) and Shooting, with tickets starting from £40 to £185.

There is very low availability for tickets to medal events. Only higher priced tickets are available for the majority of the medal events.

Tickets for the Olympic Park are still available.

Customers can purchase up to 4 tickets per session, and can purchase up to 4 sessions in one transaction for all available sports apart from football. More tickets are available for football sessions – between 20 and 30 tickets per session to encourage groups to attend.

LOCOG Commercial Director Chris Townsend commented, "Our priority has been to get as many people who missed out in the sales process last year to the Games. We have delivered on our promise and now another 150,000 people have successfully purchased up to 4 tickets each. We are now putting the remaining tickets back on general sale. Customers will be able to browse the website for 24 hours, from 11am today (22 May 2012) to see what tickets are available. Wednesday’s sale is a live sale, and, like other high demand events including pop concerts, we expect the website to be very busy and customers may well be held in queues for over 30 minutes at peak times’

Notes to editors:
For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office.

The Official London 2012 Join In app is a free mobile guide to help you plan, enjoy and share your Games experience. From the Olympic Torch Relay to the Olympics and Paralympics, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, plus all the cultural, city and community celebrations happening across the UK, the Official London 2012 Join In App is your essential companion.

London 2012 Games partners:
The Worldwide Olympic Partners who support the London 2012 Olympic Games and the National Olympic Committees around the world are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos, Dow, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Procter and Gamble, Samsung and Visa.

LOCOG has seven domestic Tier One Partners - adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. There are seven domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, ArcelorMittal, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte, Thomas Cook and UPS. There are now twenty-eight domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Aggreko, Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, CBS Outdoor, Crystal CG, Eurostar, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, G4S, GSK, Gymnova, Heathrow Airport, Heineken UK, Holiday Inn, John Lewis, McCann Worldgroup, Mondo, NATURE VALLEY, Next, Nielsen, Populous, Rapiscan Systems, Rio Tinto, Technogym, Thames Water, Ticketmaster, Trebor and Westfield.

There is one domestic Tier One Paralympic Games-only Partner, Sainsbury’s and two domestic Tier Three Paralympic Games-only Suppliers, Otto Bock and Panasonic. The London 2012 Paralympic Games also acknowledges the support of the National Lottery.

Olympic Torch Relay Visit Dunster Castle

Torch Relay to Visit Dunster Castle and the Taw Bridge on Journey from Exeter to Taunton

Today the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay – presented by Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung – will travel from Exeter and end in Taunton. The Olympic Flame will travel 135.30 miles through 23 communities.

(PRWEB) May 21, 2012

Today the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay – presented by Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung – will travel from Exeter and end in Taunton. The Olympic Flame will travel 135.30 miles through 23 communities. 

• Today the Torch Relay will travel 135.30 miles
• 113 inspirational Torchbearers will carry the Flame
• Evening celebration to take place at Somerset Cricket Ground
• Images from the day will be available to download from here throughout the day

113 Torchbearers will carry the Flame before it arrives at the first Evening Celebration at Somerset Cricket Ground at 5pm where a cauldron will be lit to mark the culmination of the day’s festivities. After the celebrations have finished, the Flame will be transferred to a lantern and it will stay in Taunton overnight.

On Day 3 the Flame will be carried through the following communities:
Exeter, Okehampton, Folly Gate, Hatherleigh, Merton, Great Torrington, Bideford, Sticklepath, Barnstaple, Wrafton, Braunton, Knowle, Ilfracombe, Combe Martin, Lynton, Lynmouth, Porlock, Minehead, Dunster, Carhampton, Washford, Williton and Taunton.

During the day the Flame will also pass a number of iconic landmarks including the Taw Bridge and Dunster Castle.

Torchbearers during the day will include:

Paul Giblin, 49, from Devon was nominated by Exeter City Council through the LOCOG campaign. Paul, who is carrying the Flame in Exeter, has been nominated for the work he does in his spare time to promote culture in Exeter, with a particular focus on celebrating diversity, social inclusion and empowerment.

Georgina Geikie, 28, from Devon was nominated through the Lloyds TSB campaign. Georgina will carry the Flame through Okehampton. Georgina was selected because of her commitment and dedication to her sport and inspiring her community and peers through coaching carried out in her community. She also won Bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010.

Danielle Smith, 20, who was nominated through the LOCOG campaign, is a below the knee amputee who strives to make the best out of every day. Her amputation is not a barrier for her. Danielle, who is from Devon and running in Lynton, has helped a young amputee who lost his leg in Afganistan by giving some sound advice.

Louise Goux, 23, from Bristol, who was nominated through the Coca-Cola Future Flame programme for her work as a student leader. Louise will carry the Flame in Bideford today.

Andrew Murphy, 44, was nominated by Taunton Deane Borough Council through the LOCOG campaign. Andy, who is from Taunton and is carrying the Flame there, is a Police Officer whose beat is one of the most deprived areas in the District and he has gone well beyond the call of duty to work with young people in this community and to help improve their lives and ambitions.

Today’s Torchbearers are joined by Triple Jump World record holder Jonathan Edwards who will carry the Flame in Ilfracombe and by cricketer Marcus Trescothick who was nominated through the Samsung campaign, will carry the Flame in Taunton.

The evening celebration will feature a variety of entertainment staged by LOCOG and the three Presenting Partners of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay - Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung - with support from Taunton Deane Borough Council. All tickets to the event have now been allocated.

The line-up includes music from Labrinth, a dance troupe who will provide a unique fusion of street performance, theatre and sport and dance act Twist and Pulse. There will also be entertainment that showcases the culture and heritage of Taunton Deane and Somerset.

The Olympic Flame will travel an estimated 8,000 miles and will showcase as much of the UK as possible. The route of the Olympic Torch Relay was devised after extensive consultation with representatives in each nation and region.

The Olympic Torch Relay will also include exciting moments with extreme heights, high speeds and breath-taking spectacles and the Flame will be travelling by different methods of transport including horseback, bicycle, tram and steam-train. Every county in England and every Local Authority area in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales will host the Olympic Flame, with visits reaching as far north as Lerwick in Scotland to St Helier in the south, Lowestoft in the east and Enniskillen in the west. Many thousands of people are expected to welcome the Olympic Flame along the route each day and celebrate the achievements of the Torchbearers in parks, squares and streets right around the UK.

The convoy travelling with the Flame consists of 14 core vehicles, including a pilot car, Torchbearer drop-off and pick-up shuttles, Presenting Partner vehicles, a media vehicle, a command car and security vehicles. The lead convoy, including the Presenting Partner vehicles, will provide entertainment for the crowds. This will be followed 5-7 minutes later by the Torchbearer.

A crew of approximately 350 people will be working each day of the Relay. Core teams of LOCOG staff, the Metropolitan Police Torch Security Team, Presenting Partners, host Police Forces and host Local Authorities will be working together throughout the 70 days.

James Williams, Director, Olympic Torch Relay, The Coca-Cola Company, said: ‘We’re three days into what is shaping up to be an incredible 70 day journey around the UK. We’re so excited to join with the crowds lining the streets to celebrate our inspirational Coca-Cola Future Flames as they carry the Olympic Flame through their local communities, for example today Benjamin Payne and Louise Goux will run in Lynton and Bideford. We’re continuing to spread the magic of London 2012 across the United Kingdom, and will be getting everyone to Move to the Beat tonight as we bring Labrinth to the stage in Taunton.’

Sally Hancock, Director, 2012 Partnership at Lloyds Banking Group, said: ‘The Olympic Torch Relay will mark the moment when every corner of the UK will start to feel the excitement of London 2012. Lloyds TSB is creating as many opportunities as possible for people to get involved as the Olympic Flame passes their front doors. We’re calling on everyone to come and line the streets to cheer on their local Lloyds TSB Torchbearers and celebrate with our troupe of performers the Flame Followers who will use a unique fusion of performance to bring the excitement of the Flame to communities.’

Mr Sunny Hwang, Vice President & Head of Global Sports Marketing, Samsung Electronics, said: “Samsung is delighted to be a Presenting Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay and we feel the Torchbearers selected for the Exeter to Taunton route really do demonstrate the ‘gone the extra mile’ community element that lies at the heart of our Olympic Torch Relay London 2012 campaign. We’re delighted that England cricketer Marcus Edward Trescothick will be running and representing Samsung at this stage.”

For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office.

Notes to editors:

Each day two short packages of broadcast footage will be made available. The packages will be available via the Footage library – accessible from the Media Centre on london2012.com and direct from this linkhttp://footagelibrary.london2012.com. Media will need to register for access in advance. Registration is free.

About the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners:

As the longest standing Presenting Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay, Coca-Cola will be using its heritage and experience to spread excitement across the UK ahead of London 2012. Coca-Cola's national nomination campaign - Future Flames – has focused on finding inspirational young people from across the country to have the once in a lifetime opportunity to carry the Olympic Flame. This summer Coca-Cola will celebrate these Future Flames: young people who use their passions in areas like sport and physical activity, music and dance, and community and the environment; to spread happiness in their local communities.

As the only National Presenting Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, Lloyds TSB will be taking the inspiration and excitement of the Olympic Flame right to the heart of communities across the UK. As part of Lloyds Banking Group, Bank of Scotland will be the National Presenting Partner in Scotland. We are creating as many opportunities as possible for communities the length and breadth of the UK to get involved as the Flame travels past their front doors. Lloyds TSB’s troupe of performers the Flame Followers will be travelling ahead of the Flame to excite crowds with a unique fusion of street performance, theatre and sport celebrating the endeavour, athleticism, agility and skill of Olympic sporting heroes, Team GB.

Lloyds Banking Group is Britain’s biggest corporate investor in UK communities and in 2011 invested £85 million and as part of the Group’s Community Investment Programme, we’ve launched the Lloyds Banking Group Community Fund to give back to the communities in which we operate and pass through on our journey with the Olympic Flame. We’re inviting everyone to visit the Lloyds TSB stand at each Evening Celebration to vote for a community project in their area that inspires and supports young people. By voting at the Evening Celebration members of the public will automatically enter a draw to win four tickets to London 2012. The two projects that receive the most votes at each locality will each win a £5,000 grant from Lloyds Banking Group. At the Lloyds TSB site members of the public will also have the opportunity to have their photo taken with the Olympic Torch, meet Lloyds TSB Local Heroes – the future stars of Team GB and ParalympicsGB – and get up close to our Flame Followers.

As a Presenting Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, Samsung aims to encourage everyone to be part of the greatest show on Earth to make London 2012 ‘Everyone’s Olympic Games.’ We aspire to offer new and memorable experiences for everyone around the world through our own innovative and smart wireless technology. Samsung is providing 1,360 Torchbearers, who have “gone the extra mile” by contributing to the local communities, through its worldwide public nomination campaign. In total over 25,000 nominations were received. Samsung will support towns and cities to celebrate the exciting moment of the Torch Relay and help showcase Great Britain’s cultural landmarks to provide a more enjoyable experience to everyone.

The evening celebrations that will be staged by Samsung in 66 towns and cities throughout the Olympic Flame’s journey across the UK, will allow Samsung to entertain the community they are visiting. The Samsung caravan, complete with LED screen on the side showcasing runners and goodwill messages, will follow the Torchbearers around the UK cheering up everyone to celebrate the Torch Relay with music and interaction with local communities. It is Samsung’s ambition that London 2012 will be an event that reaches and involves more people than on any other Olympic Games occasion.

The Supporters of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay are:
Worldwide Olympic Partners Procter and Gamble and Visa, Tier One Partners adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT and EDF, Tier Three Providers Aggreko, Holiday Inn and NATURE VALLEY.

The BBC will be providing extensive coverage of the Torch Relay on television, radio and online. This will include special Breakfast shows on every BBC local radio station, and extended live coverage of an evening celebration event in every Nation and English Region.

London 2012 Games partners:
The Worldwide Olympic Partners who support the London 2012 Olympic Games and the National Olympic Committees around the world are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos, Dow Chemical Company, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Procter and Gamble, Samsung and Visa.

LOCOG has seven domestic Tier One Partners - adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. There are seven domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, ArcelorMittal, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte, Thomas Cook and UPS.

There are now twenty-eight domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Aggreko, Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, CBS Outdoor, Crystal CG, Eurostar, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, G4S, GSK, Gymnova, Heathrow Airport, Heineken UK, Holiday Inn, John Lewis, McCann Worldgroup, Mondo, NATURE VALLEY, Next, Nielsen, Populous, Rapiscan Systems, Rio Tinto, Technogym, Thames Water, Ticketmaster, Trebor and Westfield.

There is one domestic Tier One Paralympic Games-only Partner, Sainsbury’s and one domestic Tier Three Paralympic Games-only Supplier, Otto Bock. The London 2012 Paralympic Games also acknowledges the support of the National Lottery

Britain Welcomes Olympic Torch Relay

Britain Welcomes the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay

Thousands of cheering Britons lined the streets of towns and cities across Cornwall and Devon as the Olympic torch was carried over 136 miles from Land’s End to Plymouth Hoe on the first day of its 8,000-mile relay around the UK.
(PRWEB) May 21, 2012

Thousands of cheering Britons lined the streets of towns and cities across Cornwall and Devon as the Olympic torch was carried over 136 miles from Land’s End to Plymouth Hoe on the first day of its 8,000-mile relay around the UK. On 27 July the torch will ignite the cauldron at London’s Olympic Stadium to mark the start of the 2012 Games. More than 130 ordinary people and sports celebrities including Olympicswimming star Duncan Goodhew carried the torch through Falmouth, Truro and the Eden Project at the start of its 70-day journey around the UK.

The Olympic flame arrived at Culdrose in Cornwall from Athens on a golden aircraft called "The Firefly" on Friday in four custom-made lanterns. It was carried off the plane by Princess Anne, IOC Member and the president of the British Olympic Association, and then used to light a cauldron to mark the start of the Olympic Torch Relay by football hero David Beckham. “Eight thousand inspirational torchbearers are all set to bring the magic of the Games to everyone's doorstep,” said Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, who was at Culdrose to welcome the London 2012 delegation. “With every step, the excitement will build. Ten weeks from now, the world will watch as the flame arrives at the Olympic Stadium, bringing with it the hopes of a nation."

A gold-liveried air rescue Sea King helicopter flew the torch to Land’s End early on Saturday, where at 7.08am it was passed to the triple Olympic gold medallist sailorBen Ainslie, the first of 8,000 torch-bearers, in front of 3,500 people. "It's amazing,” he said. “For me, growing up in this part of the world, in Cornwall, for the Olympic Torch to set off from here around the nation, is a fantastic moment for the UK, for London 2012. Very exciting." Ainslie carried the torch 300m before ‘kissing’ it on to Anastasi Swallow, a junior surf champion who has represented her country four times. “This is really when the Games begin,” said Paul Deighton, the London 2012 Organising Committee’s chief executive. “Through these 70 days we’ll see some magic in our communities.”

An estimated nine million people are expected to come out and watch the torchbearers, as they run through over one thousand communities, passing landmarks such as Stonehenge, and coming within 10 miles of 95 per cent of the UK population.

“This is an extraordinary moment that has been 10 years in the making,” said Games organiser Sebastian Coe.

For more information, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team.

Go for GOLD Olympic-Games Private Jet & Helicopter

Go for GOLD - Olympic Games Private Jet & Helicopter Charter from FlyMeNow

Wherever you are in the world, FlyMeNow can bring you to the London 2012 Olympic Games in winning style – but the private jet and helicopter charter company is advising customers to confirm their private charter services soon to avoid losing out due to airspace restrictions and security requirements.

(PRWEB UK) 21 May 2012

With an unrivalled fleet of private jets, helicopters and executive ground transport, FlyMeNow is the gold standard for travellers to London 2012.

Under normal circumstances, the company can organise bespoke travel within a very short timeframe. But the unprecedented security operation protecting the Games will see major airspace restrictions imposed on London and the Olympic Park from July 14 to August 15 2012.

‘All commercial aircraft, including private jet flights, will not be allowed into the prohibited zone unless they have undergone crew, passengers and baggage screening. And there are a limited number of slots,’ said FlyMeNow’s Commercial Director Andrew G Whitney.

‘So it is important that anyone intending to travel to the Olympics using a private air charter service book their flights as soon as they can. It only takes one call – our highly-trained professionals will arrange the required private jet or helicopter charter and gain all the necessary permissions from the authorities.’

If you are travelling to the Games from outside the UK, FlyMeNow offers a full range of Olympic Games private jet travel options. Its experienced special event charter team are available 24/7 to oversee every detail of your 2012 Olympic Games private jet charter.

Clients will enjoy one-way prices to and from London and can also access to a range of exclusive empty leg charters. For those in the UK flying to London, FlyMeNow’s tailored helicopter charter services are the perfect solution.

Experienced pilots in a range of helicopters are ready to whisk clients in style and comfort to events in the capital, or to one of the regional venues like the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, hosting the football semi-finals, or Lee Valley White Water Centre, Hertfordshire, for the canoe slalom.

The company’s ground transport fleet can whisk you to the heart of the Olympic action. Luxury vehicles available include Rolls Royce, Bentley, Mercedes Benz, BMW and Range Rover. FlyMeNow works closely with the concierges of all London’s leading hotels to arrange door-to-door transport.

Executive uniformed chauffeurs, qualified to advanced driving standards, ensure a swift and comfortable journey.

‘FlyMeNow’s dedicated Olympic team may not win any medals for sporting prowess – but we do outpace the competition in terms of service, style and value,’ Andrew said.

For more information about Olympic Games private jet charter and helicopter charter services available during London 2012, visit http://www.FlyMeNow.co.uk.

ENDS

Notes for editors:
For more information, contact Rick Beasley at FlyMeNow International on +44(0)207-100-9000.

About FlyMeNow International:
Private air charter firm FlyMeNow International is based in the Old Control Tower at Kent International Airport. It also runs offices in York, Milton Keynes, and Melbourne, Australia. FlyMeNow offers a full air charter service, including private jet charter, through their website at http://www.FlyMeNow.co.uk.

Established in May 2007, FlyMeNow completes hundreds of private charter flights each year. The firm’s client base ranges from CEOs of global multinational corporations to VIP parties heading to events such as Royal Ascot and the British Grand Prix. Their range of private jets, helicopters and turboprop aircraft suit all needs and tastes.

About the London 2012 Olympic Games:
The London 2012 Cultural Olympiad is the largest cultural celebration in the history of the modern Olympic and Paralympics Movements. The London 2012 Olympic Games will be held July 14 to August 15 2012. For more visithttp://www.London2012.com.

London 2012 Launches New Mobile App

London 2012 Launches New App and Outlines Social Media Plans

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has launched the free Official London 2012 Join In app.

(PRWEB) May 19, 2012

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has launched the free Official London 2012 Join In app. 

• London 2012 launches the Official Join In app

The essential companion to the London 2012 Games, the app will help London 2012 fans and spectators share their Games experience on social media. The Official London 2012 Join In app can be downloaded now fromhttp://www.london2012.com/mobileapps/

Key features of the app include comprehensive event listings for thousands of exciting events across London and the UK; and spectator information and interactive maps, news and photos - all integrated with Facebook, Twitter and FourSquare. The app also features a detailed Olympic Torch Relay route, including a Torch tracker, Torchbearer details and information on evening celebrations - invaluable as the Olympic Flame arrives in the UK.

The companion app, the Official London 2012 Results app, will be released in June, providing all the latest news, schedules and results, allowing users to keep up-to-date with the latest action live across all Olympic sports and Paralympic sports. This app will also be free.

The Official London 2012 Join in app and Official London 2012 Results app are part of a family of digital tools that will be released during the summer, including:

•          The IOC’s Olympic Athlete’s Hub (http://hub.olympic.org) launched in April, a directory of verified athlete social media accounts, with rewards for active fans and exclusive content.
•          The London 2012 Games-time website, http://www.london2012.com, which will be the ultimate authority on the Games with comprehensive, unbiased provision of results and Games information. The site is fully accessible, including content in British Sign Language and easyread formats.
•          Enhanced London 2012 presences on Facebook and Twitter, including many new accounts, sports and image feeds and some surprises.
•          A Twitter-based competitive tweeting challenge.
•          Visualisations and infographics.
•          Official London 2012 mobile, online and social games.

Seb Coe, Chair of LOCOG, said: ‘This app is a great example of how we are bringing the Games to life for a new generation – inspiring people around the world to get involved. As the Games get closer, we encourage people everywhere to share their Olympic experience with the world, whether they have tickets for a sporting event or not’.

Notes to editors:
For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office.

Find out the latest from London 2012 HQ on our blog http://www.london2012.com/blog , follow us on Twitterhttp://www.twitter.com/london2012 or download the Offical London 2012 Join In app.

Over 800,000 people follow London 2012 on social media sites and London 2012 videos have been watched four million times on Youtube.

London 2012 anticipates traffic of over 1 billion visits to London2012.com Thisat Games time.

The Official London 2012 Join In app is a free mobile guide to help you plan, enjoy and share your Games experience. From the Olympic Torch Relay to the Olympics and Paralympics, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, plus all the cultural, city and community celebrations happening across the UK, the Official London 2012 Join In App is your essential companion.

London 2012 Games partners:
The Worldwide Olympic Partners who support the London 2012 Olympic Games and the National Olympic Committees around the world are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos, Dow, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Procter and Gamble, Samsung and Visa.

LOCOG has seven domestic Tier One Partners - adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. There are seven domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, ArcelorMittal, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte, Thomas Cook and UPS. There are now twenty-eight domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Aggreko, Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, CBS Outdoor, Crystal CG, Eurostar, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, G4S, GSK, Gymnova, Heathrow Airport, Heineken UK, Holiday Inn, John Lewis, McCann Worldgroup, Mondo, NATURE VALLEY, Next, Nielsen, Populous, Rapiscan Systems, Rio Tinto, Technogym, Thames Water, Ticketmaster, Trebor and Westfield.

There is one domestic Tier One Paralympic Games-only Partner, Sainsbury’s and two domestic Tier Three Paralympic Games-only Suppliers, Otto Bock and Panasonic. The London 2012 Paralympic Games also acknowledges the support of the National Lottery.