Relations between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the BBC have hit an all time low.
The IOC have banned the BBC from televising a debate, between candidate cities for the 2012 games. BBC World was to have held a 45 minute broadcast, featuring representatives from; Paris, London, New York, Madrid and Moscow.
However, the dear old IOC decided that this would breach the rules (whatever they are); and banned it.
It is widely assumed that the IOC are still "pissed off" at the BBC for their programme showing that the IOC is corrupt; specifically that IOC votes can be bought by potential host cities.
Whoever said that the Olympics was not about politics and money?
Saturday, January 22, 2005
Friday, January 21, 2005
High Tech Torch
A high tech torch, for the Turin Winter Olympics in 2006, has been delivered by the famous Italian designer Pininfarina.
The firm, which has styled many Ferrari cars, is one of Turin's most famous and is an official partner of the 2006 Games.
Pininfarina will produce 12,000 of the torches for the torch relay, which starts in December 2005.
Chairman Andrea Pininfarina, TOROC president Valentino Castellani and other dignitaries were on hand for the unveiling at a ceremony in Milan.
The torch is designed to resist wind up to 120 kilometers per hour, and work at sea level or at the top of the Alps.
It weighs 2kg, and is 75cm high.
Pininfarina says it is based on the idea that the flame should appear to wrap the body of the torch, rather than burn from a hole at the top.
The firm, which has styled many Ferrari cars, is one of Turin's most famous and is an official partner of the 2006 Games.
Pininfarina will produce 12,000 of the torches for the torch relay, which starts in December 2005.
Chairman Andrea Pininfarina, TOROC president Valentino Castellani and other dignitaries were on hand for the unveiling at a ceremony in Milan.
The torch is designed to resist wind up to 120 kilometers per hour, and work at sea level or at the top of the Alps.
It weighs 2kg, and is 75cm high.
Pininfarina says it is based on the idea that the flame should appear to wrap the body of the torch, rather than burn from a hole at the top.
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Beijing Hosts International Exhibition
An international sports and venue facilities exhibition and trade show will be held in July in Beijing, which will be playing host to the 2008 Olympics.
This show will come at a critical time for the construction of the 2008 Olympic infrastructure.
Beijing will build over 30 sports venues for the Olympics competition, many of these projects will start this year.
The International Sports & Venue Facilities Beijing 2005 Exhibition & Trade Show is to be held from July 15 to 17, at the China International Exhibition Center in the Chinese capital.
Around 1,000 companies are expected to attend the exhibition.
Beijing Olympic venue owners, executives from China's provincial and municipal sports venues and sports industry specialists will be invited to attend the forums.
This show will come at a critical time for the construction of the 2008 Olympic infrastructure.
Beijing will build over 30 sports venues for the Olympics competition, many of these projects will start this year.
The International Sports & Venue Facilities Beijing 2005 Exhibition & Trade Show is to be held from July 15 to 17, at the China International Exhibition Center in the Chinese capital.
Around 1,000 companies are expected to attend the exhibition.
Beijing Olympic venue owners, executives from China's provincial and municipal sports venues and sports industry specialists will be invited to attend the forums.
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Turin Test Run Success
The first test event in the city of Turin, for the 2006 Winter Olympics, was a success.
The organising committee of the Turin Games, reported near-capacity crowds for the three days of the European Short Track Speed Skating Championship.
Apparently, over 13,000 tickets were sold.
The championships were held in the Palavela stadium rebuilt, at a cost of over 50 million euros, after 44 years of lying derelict.
The organising committee of the Turin Games, reported near-capacity crowds for the three days of the European Short Track Speed Skating Championship.
Apparently, over 13,000 tickets were sold.
The championships were held in the Palavela stadium rebuilt, at a cost of over 50 million euros, after 44 years of lying derelict.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Tyranny of The Minority
A few complaints, by a handful of prudish US viewers, that the Athens Olympics opening ceremony featured lewd nudity has caused a minor eruption in Athens.
Gianna Angelopoulos, the Olympic Games chief, has warned American regulators (the FCC) to keep their noses out of others' affairs.
The complaints centre on the opening ceremony parade of actors, portraying naked statues. These included Satyr and the nude Kouros male statues, both symbols of ancient Greece.
The problem is that NBC broadcast these; and a minority of people who cover chair legs, lest they arouse unclean thoughts, have complained.
Around 3.5BN people watched the opening ceremony, it would be an absurdity for the FCC to impose the views of a cultural minority.
As Angelopoulos said:
"As Americans surely are aware, there is great hostility in the world today to cultural domination in which a single value system created elsewhere diminishes and degrades local cultures....In this context, it is astonishingly unwise for an agency of the U.S. government to engage in an investigation that could label a presentation of the Greek origins of civilization as unfit for television viewing."
Gianna Angelopoulos, the Olympic Games chief, has warned American regulators (the FCC) to keep their noses out of others' affairs.
The complaints centre on the opening ceremony parade of actors, portraying naked statues. These included Satyr and the nude Kouros male statues, both symbols of ancient Greece.
The problem is that NBC broadcast these; and a minority of people who cover chair legs, lest they arouse unclean thoughts, have complained.
Around 3.5BN people watched the opening ceremony, it would be an absurdity for the FCC to impose the views of a cultural minority.
As Angelopoulos said:
"As Americans surely are aware, there is great hostility in the world today to cultural domination in which a single value system created elsewhere diminishes and degrades local cultures....In this context, it is astonishingly unwise for an agency of the U.S. government to engage in an investigation that could label a presentation of the Greek origins of civilization as unfit for television viewing."
Monday, January 17, 2005
Scots Don't Want the Olympics
A row has broken out between the British government and the Scottish Nationalists, in relation to the bid to host the 2012 Olympics in London.
The Scottish Nationalist Party's Alex Neil, convener of Holyrood's enterprise committee, said:
"We've already had the Dome. Scotland's share of that was £100m and this is Dome Mark Two....It is us subsidising London, which has got three times the population of Scotland and is far, far wealthier than Scotland. Why should we subsidise London?".
Nationalist Alex Neil dubbed the games Dome Mark Two:
"The danger for Scotland is we could be robbed of something like £70m worth of Lottery and other funding....The fact of life is we're going to get nowhere near £70m, but we are going to see our local sports clubs and other good causes going down the tube because there's not going to be the Lottery money there to sustain them."
Independent MSP Margo MacDonald added:
"My concern is that in getting the games so much money will have to be spent that the money that should be going into development of sport in Scotland will have to be cut by £10m..".
However, Sports Minister Patricia Ferguson is claiming that the games would earn millions of pounds for Scotland from tourism.
I find that hard to believe, given the fact that London is 400 miles away from Scotland.
The Scottish Nationalist Party's Alex Neil, convener of Holyrood's enterprise committee, said:
"We've already had the Dome. Scotland's share of that was £100m and this is Dome Mark Two....It is us subsidising London, which has got three times the population of Scotland and is far, far wealthier than Scotland. Why should we subsidise London?".
Nationalist Alex Neil dubbed the games Dome Mark Two:
"The danger for Scotland is we could be robbed of something like £70m worth of Lottery and other funding....The fact of life is we're going to get nowhere near £70m, but we are going to see our local sports clubs and other good causes going down the tube because there's not going to be the Lottery money there to sustain them."
Independent MSP Margo MacDonald added:
"My concern is that in getting the games so much money will have to be spent that the money that should be going into development of sport in Scotland will have to be cut by £10m..".
However, Sports Minister Patricia Ferguson is claiming that the games would earn millions of pounds for Scotland from tourism.
I find that hard to believe, given the fact that London is 400 miles away from Scotland.
Sunday, January 16, 2005
Blair Fights for Olympics
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has come out in support of London's bid to host the 2012 Olympics.
He said that hosting the Olympic Games in 2012 could bring the UK "unparalleled" social and economic benefits.
In a letter of support for London's 2012 bid, Mr Blair stressed that the event was a "prize worth fighting for".
Quote:
"I am determined to do all I can to bring those games to the United Kingdom."
He went on to say:
"The economic benefits are clear. An Olympic Games hosted in London would create significant opportunities for companies up and down the UK in sectors as diverse as construction, tourism, merchandise, catering, design and IT."
He concluded:
"Having carefully examined the hosting experience of other countries, this Government believes a London Olympics is a prize worth fighting for."
He said that hosting the Olympic Games in 2012 could bring the UK "unparalleled" social and economic benefits.
In a letter of support for London's 2012 bid, Mr Blair stressed that the event was a "prize worth fighting for".
Quote:
"I am determined to do all I can to bring those games to the United Kingdom."
He went on to say:
"The economic benefits are clear. An Olympic Games hosted in London would create significant opportunities for companies up and down the UK in sectors as diverse as construction, tourism, merchandise, catering, design and IT."
He concluded:
"Having carefully examined the hosting experience of other countries, this Government believes a London Olympics is a prize worth fighting for."
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