London Latest - IOC Inspects Olympic Football Venues; McQuaid on Cycling Test Event

(ATR) IOC inspectors took in a match at Manchester United's home stadium Tuesday as part of a check-up on all of the Olympic football venues outside London this week.

IOC Coordination Commission chairman Denis Oswald and Olympic Games executive director Gilbert Felli are conducting a four-day project review of London 2012 preparations, one of the last before the Co-Comm's full inspection in March.

Six stadia will stage the men's and women's football competition at the Games.

On Tuesday, the IOC delegation visited Coventry's Ricoh Arena before heading north to watch a Premier League game between United and Stoke City at Old Trafford. Oswald and Felli received VIP treatment at the 76,000-seat ground, which will host a semi-final in both the men's and women's competitions this summer.

Glasgow's Hampden Park ground, Scotland's national football stadium, and Newcastle United's St James' Park are the stops on Wednesday's venue tour.

Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, host of the 1999 Rugby World Cup final, will be visited on Thursday.

The Welsh retractable roof venue with a 74,600 capacity is slated to host the first event of the Olympic Games. A women's football match takes place there on July 25, two days before the Games opening ceremony.

Team GB's men’s team, coached by Stuart Pearce, will begin their campaign at Old Trafford on July 26.

"They're visiting the different stadia, getting an update on their preparations for the Games, and meeting some of the people involved," an IOC spokesman told Around the Rings.

Oswald and Felli have previously signed off on Olympic preparations at Wembley Stadium, the 90,000-seat iconic venue that will host the gold medal events in both football competitions.

The official draw for the Olympic football tournament is scheduled for April 24 at Wembley.

Tickets for the 2012 football tournament can be purchased here. The sales window closes Feb. 6.

At London 2012, the men’s and women's football competitions will include 16 and12 teams respectively.

The IOC told ATR that this week's review of London 2012 preparations began Monday with meetings offering "a general update on the advancement of the [Olympics] project".

Areas covered included venue operations, sport, transport, security and technology.

Cycling Chief Looks Forward to 2012 Test

International Cycling Union president Pat McQuaid tells Around the Rings he is looking forward to the Olympic velodrome getting worldwide attention at the UCI Track Cycling World Cup next month.

"It is a magnificent velodrome and it'll be for the first time in full flight," he said of the Feb. 16 to 19 event that serves as a warm-up for London 2012.

"I think it's a great opportunity to show it off to the world and look forward to July."

McQuaid added: "My hope is that all venue systems work well and there will be high-level competition. I don't doubt that there will be.

"I hope it's a great weekend of racing in the new velodrome and gives a little bit of a taste of what to expect in July."

The Track Cycling World Cup will feature a star-studded line-up of riders. Britain's Olympic gold medalists Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton will rub shoulders with Australia's Anna Meares and Germany's Robert Forstemann among others.

LOCOG announced Tuesday that five Olympic champions and 16 world champions are participating.

The event at the 6,000-seat velodrome, widely acclaimed as the most stunning venue on the Olympic Park, has attracted the world’s best track cyclists; many nations are still to gain Olympic qualification.

London 2012 organizers expect more than 23,000 spectators to enjoy the elite action. A total of 340 riders from 48 nations and 18 trade teams will compete in the four-day competition.

Tickets for the event sold out in minutes when they went on sale last November.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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