The 2012 London Olympic Games appear to be mired in controversy even though they are still six years away.
Gordon Brown, Chancellor of The Exchequer, is being held to account by MP's over allegations that he has held private meetings with Bechtel, a firm trying to win the right to build the Olympic Games site in east London.
Bechtel, a controversial US construction giant, is one of four groups hoping to win the multi-million-pound contract.
Liberal Democrat MP Don Foster has tabled questions over the issue in the Commons, which are due to be answered today.
The Treasury admitted that it is overseeing the Olympic procurement process.
Foster said:
"There is now clear evidence that the Treasury is going to be involved in the decision over who is the main contractor for the London 2012 Olympics.
In the light of John Prescott's dealings with Philip Anschutz, it is even more vital that the Treasury admits whether it has met with any companies or representatives of those vying to become the 2012 delivery partner."
Bechtel has been called by some "the working arm of the CIA". It was the first firm the US government turned to when it awarded contracts to rebuild Iraq. It is also the British government's favourite contractor, and has advised the Treasury on nuclear energy as well as working on the Channel Tunnel rail link, the Jubilee line and the West Coast Main Line rail upgrade.
Bechtel is currently tarnished by the costliest road project in American history - Boston's 'Big Dig' road tunnel - which this month was hit by the biggest scandal of its troubled history after a concrete roof collapsed, killing a woman.
Needless to say, the budget for the Games is spiralling out of control. It is likely that by the time the Games are held, the costs will exceed £10BN.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Monday, July 17, 2006
Six Kidnapped Officials Released
Gunmen who kidnapped 30 people from an Iraqi Olympics Committee meeting in Baghdad have released six.
Two sports officials, a former shooting champion and a retired soccer player, and four bodyguards are among those freed a day after being snatched.
However, the fate of the others remains unknown.
Two sports officials, a former shooting champion and a retired soccer player, and four bodyguards are among those freed a day after being snatched.
However, the fate of the others remains unknown.
Friday, July 14, 2006
The cost of the London Olympic Games in 2012 will balloon from the budgeted £1.5BN, to an whopping £5BN. This being the result of reappraisals of facilities, costs and the proposals for redeveloping the Lea Valley, where the games are to be held.
This of course is merely the start of "budget creep", you can rest assured that by the time the Olympics are held the budget will have broken the £10BN level.
Politicians should never be allowed anywhere near a budget.
This of course is merely the start of "budget creep", you can rest assured that by the time the Olympics are held the budget will have broken the £10BN level.
Politicians should never be allowed anywhere near a budget.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
The Olympics Lottery
The British lottery operator, Camelot, has announced that it will launch a new twice-weekly game to raise money for the 2012 London Olympics.
Tickets for the Dream Number game, priced at £1, will go on sale from July 13. Draws will take place on Saturdays and Wednesdays, alongside the main lottery game.
Camelot is hoping to raise £1.5BN, to help build stadia and the Olympic village.
Camelot will of course also make a profit out of this.
Tickets for the Dream Number game, priced at £1, will go on sale from July 13. Draws will take place on Saturdays and Wednesdays, alongside the main lottery game.
Camelot is hoping to raise £1.5BN, to help build stadia and the Olympic village.
Camelot will of course also make a profit out of this.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Olympics Party
One year on since winning the rights to host the 2012 Olympic Games, London will be holding a celebration party this Thursday in Trafalgar Square.
The party will kick off a national roadshow, aimed at generating interest in the Olympics and explaining the benefits of hosting the Games to the rest of the country.
People will get the chance to try out Olympic sports such as fencing, rowing, cycling, basketball, wheelchair basketball and sprinting.
The party will kick off a national roadshow, aimed at generating interest in the Olympics and explaining the benefits of hosting the Games to the rest of the country.
People will get the chance to try out Olympic sports such as fencing, rowing, cycling, basketball, wheelchair basketball and sprinting.
Monday, July 03, 2006
London Olympics On Target
Lord Coe, head of the London 2012 Olympics, has insisted that everything is on target and that deadlines will be met.
This in spite of the ongoing Wembley stadium fiasco.
Well he would say that, wouldn't he?
This in spite of the ongoing Wembley stadium fiasco.
Well he would say that, wouldn't he?
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Water Shortage Hits London Olympics
As unlikely as it seems, given the image of London as being fog bound and perpetually wet, the 2012 Olympic Games in London could be hit by water shortages.
That will be the case, unless Thames Water (the company that leaks/wastes vast quantities of water because it does not fix its pipes) gets its act together in time.
Labour MP Harry Cohen said that Thames Water's network lost 894 million litres a day, enough to fill 350 Olympic swimming pools.
Cohen said that the company's claim that it is doing all it can to tackle the problem was "a fib".
Quote:
"If we don't get this right, we will also have drought order restrictions in the lead up and during the 2012 Olympics and that would be to the detriment of those Games."
The good news is that Thames Water's profits leapt to £346M last year.
That will be the case, unless Thames Water (the company that leaks/wastes vast quantities of water because it does not fix its pipes) gets its act together in time.
Labour MP Harry Cohen said that Thames Water's network lost 894 million litres a day, enough to fill 350 Olympic swimming pools.
Cohen said that the company's claim that it is doing all it can to tackle the problem was "a fib".
Quote:
"If we don't get this right, we will also have drought order restrictions in the lead up and during the 2012 Olympics and that would be to the detriment of those Games."
The good news is that Thames Water's profits leapt to £346M last year.
Friday, June 16, 2006
Danger UXB
Congratulations to Morrison and Edmund Nuttall, the two firms who have won the £200M contract for the demolition and clean up works on the 270 hectare site of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
There is a lot of work to do, the site has been blighted by decades of industrial use and is the largest patch of derelict and contaminated land in London.
There is also expected to be a large cache of unexploded bombs on the site, dropped by the Luftwaffe in the Second World War.
There is a lot of work to do, the site has been blighted by decades of industrial use and is the largest patch of derelict and contaminated land in London.
There is also expected to be a large cache of unexploded bombs on the site, dropped by the Luftwaffe in the Second World War.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
The Corrupt Olympics
It is reported that the sacking of the vice-mayor of Beijing, Liu Zhihua, who oversaw the construction of Olympic venues for the 2008 Beijing has unleashed a wave of commentary about corruption and graft in the lead up to the 2008 Games.
Seemingly Liu was not shy of indulging his own passions and built a pleasure palace for himself, staffed by young concubines on the outskirts of Beijing.
Foreign companies trying to work on the Games are reporting a widespread culture of graft and corruption.
Liu was sacked after he demanded a bribe from a foreign businessman, for the sale of land in Zhongguancun. Liu then refused to hand over the land, despite having been paid off, the businessman then reported him to the authorities.
Beijing is proving to be a tad sensitive over the corruption allegations, and have shut down any websites that comment on them.
Liu may well face the death penalty, defraud the state of more than $500K and you are executed!
But what of his boss?
Seemingly Liu was not shy of indulging his own passions and built a pleasure palace for himself, staffed by young concubines on the outskirts of Beijing.
Foreign companies trying to work on the Games are reporting a widespread culture of graft and corruption.
Liu was sacked after he demanded a bribe from a foreign businessman, for the sale of land in Zhongguancun. Liu then refused to hand over the land, despite having been paid off, the businessman then reported him to the authorities.
Beijing is proving to be a tad sensitive over the corruption allegations, and have shut down any websites that comment on them.
Liu may well face the death penalty, defraud the state of more than $500K and you are executed!
But what of his boss?
Monday, June 12, 2006
Bad Morals Hit Olympics
Liu Zhihua, the Vice-Mayor of Beijing who was in charge of urban planning, construction and sports activities for the 2008 Olympics, has been fired for corruption and "bad morals".
The Beijing Municipal People's Congress removed him after finding him guilty of misdemeanors, his case will be further investigated.
Over 115,000 members of the Communist Party were punished in 2005, for corruption and other offences.
Regarding the great world "Bung Fest", that is currently being played out in Germany, Panorama dished the dirt on the corruption and bribery in FIFA last night; well worth watching if you have the opportunity.
I wonder if it is possible to hold an international sporting event without corruption and kickbacks?
The Beijing Municipal People's Congress removed him after finding him guilty of misdemeanors, his case will be further investigated.
Over 115,000 members of the Communist Party were punished in 2005, for corruption and other offences.
Regarding the great world "Bung Fest", that is currently being played out in Germany, Panorama dished the dirt on the corruption and bribery in FIFA last night; well worth watching if you have the opportunity.
I wonder if it is possible to hold an international sporting event without corruption and kickbacks?
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Cutbacks
It seems that the expected cost overruns of the 2012 London Olympics have spurred the organisers to try to cut back on some of their plans.
The revised blueprint for the Games include changes made to reduce the risk of the budget spiralling out of control, and to ensure that the local community benefits from facilities after the Games are over.
The plan for the Stratford site, is now based on a smaller area than originally envisaged with less ambitious landscaping.
Lord Coe said:
"We have a compact and exciting site which crucially works for the community after the games have gone."
Given the money shortage, more space has been allocated to corporate sponsors in the central part of the Olympic park They will be asked to cough up more sponsorship money for the Games.
The Olympic Delivery Authority claim that the changes were not primarily money motivated.
Well of course they are!
The revised blueprint for the Games include changes made to reduce the risk of the budget spiralling out of control, and to ensure that the local community benefits from facilities after the Games are over.
The plan for the Stratford site, is now based on a smaller area than originally envisaged with less ambitious landscaping.
Lord Coe said:
"We have a compact and exciting site which crucially works for the community after the games have gone."
Given the money shortage, more space has been allocated to corporate sponsors in the central part of the Olympic park They will be asked to cough up more sponsorship money for the Games.
The Olympic Delivery Authority claim that the changes were not primarily money motivated.
Well of course they are!
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
China Sows The Seeds of The Olympics
As part of its preparations for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China has turned its eyes towards the weather; it is very concerned that Beijing is enduring a 7 year drought and has been plagued by dust storms.
In order to fight back against the forces of nature, China will "seed" the clouds with rockets and chemical pellets to try to make it rain.
Not only will this, if it works, alleviate the drought, it will also clear the pollution.
It is in fact the tradition in Beijing to seed the clouds before public holidays.
As to whether it will work or not, only time will tell.
In order to fight back against the forces of nature, China will "seed" the clouds with rockets and chemical pellets to try to make it rain.
Not only will this, if it works, alleviate the drought, it will also clear the pollution.
It is in fact the tradition in Beijing to seed the clouds before public holidays.
As to whether it will work or not, only time will tell.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Beijing Cleans Up
As Beijing prepares to host the 2008 Olympic Games, it is making plans to clean up the city. Specifically it will try to eliminate drugs, prostitution and under-aged drinking in city bars and dance halls.
Venues will be rated A, B, or C following joint inspections carried out by city police, commerce and cultural authorities.
Vice police chief He Angang said:
"By the 2008 Olympic Games, the city's entertainment spots will be drug free, that is our goal."
If the Chinese manage this feat, they should tell the secret of their success to the rest of the world.
Oddly, the new rules will not affect bath houses and massage parlors.
Venues will be rated A, B, or C following joint inspections carried out by city police, commerce and cultural authorities.
Vice police chief He Angang said:
"By the 2008 Olympic Games, the city's entertainment spots will be drug free, that is our goal."
If the Chinese manage this feat, they should tell the secret of their success to the rest of the world.
Oddly, the new rules will not affect bath houses and massage parlors.
Monday, June 05, 2006
The Duke of Edinburgh Vents His Spleen
The Duke of Edinburgh vented his spleen the other day, on the subject of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics.
He described the opening and closing ceremonies as "bloody nuisances", and called for them to be banned.
Warming to his theme, he said that the opening and closing ceremonies destroy the spirit of the games; it is about competition and not extravaganza.
Quote:
"They ought to be banned. They are a pain in the neck."
He also said that he hoped to do "as little as possible" during the 2012 Olympics in London, by which time he will be 91 years old.
I fully agree with the Duke, in fact I would go one stage further; ban the Games entirely, they are a complete waste of time and money and are most certainly nothing to do with good sportsmanship.
He described the opening and closing ceremonies as "bloody nuisances", and called for them to be banned.
Warming to his theme, he said that the opening and closing ceremonies destroy the spirit of the games; it is about competition and not extravaganza.
Quote:
"They ought to be banned. They are a pain in the neck."
He also said that he hoped to do "as little as possible" during the 2012 Olympics in London, by which time he will be 91 years old.
I fully agree with the Duke, in fact I would go one stage further; ban the Games entirely, they are a complete waste of time and money and are most certainly nothing to do with good sportsmanship.
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