Queen Elizabeth views the Olympic Stadium construction site on Tuesday (Getty Images)(ATR) Britain's Queen Elizabeth tours the Olympic Park in east London and plants the first of over 4,000 trees that will landscape the 100-hectare site.
The Queen met with London 2012 organizers including LOCOG chair Sebastian Coe and Olympic Delivery Authority chief John Armitt on Tuesday to see the progress being made on venues such as the 80,000-seat main stadium for the Games. Work has now started on the roof lift of the venue.
After viewing the Olympic Stadium from a platform at the level of the highest spectators’ seat, the Queen, who last visited the site in 2005, walked along a section of the 100-meter track and across what will become the finish line. Watched by some of the 7,200 construction workers now working on the site, she planted a willow tree next to the stadium.
“We are thrilled to welcome Her Majesty back to show the progress we’ve made,” said Coe.
“The skyline in this part of London is being changed forever with the Olympic Park and will become a home to world-class sport in 2012 and home to a new community afterwards.”
Coe said the planting of the first tree was “a symbolic gesture that represents the most extraordinary effort by everyone to ensure the Games bring lasting change for millions of people across London and the country as a whole.”
Olympics minister Tessa Jowell described it as a memorable day for the Olympic project. “Her Majesty has been a firm supporter of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games and I am delighted that she has been able to visit the Park at its construction stage and meet some of the people behind its incredible progress.”
London Mayor Boris Johnson and Colin Moynihan, chairman of the British Olympic Association, also participated in the Olympic Park tour.
Dubai Ruler Says 2020 Olympics not Impossible
Dubai officials met on Monday to discuss bidding for the 2022 Olympics. (Dubai Royal Media Service)
Dubai is moving forward with plans to bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics.
On Monday, Dubai leaders held their first official meeting to discuss Dubai and the United Arab Emirates hosting the 2020 Olympics and World Expo. Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum chaired the working meeting.
"Nothing is impossible as long as we have the determination for change, not change of determination," Sheikh Mohammed told the group members.
The meeting ended with the formation of a committee to study the bid.
Eight Unions Bid for Final Rugby Sevens World Cup
The International Rugby Board announced eight member unions “have expressed a formal interest” in hosting the 2013 Rugby Sevens world cup, the final edition of the tournament.
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Hong Kong, Russia, Scotland and the United States all submitted tenders to the IRB by the Oct. 30 deadline. The countries have until Dec. 15 to express official interest in bidding.
"The International Rugby Board is delighted with the phenomenal level of interest in hosting Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013," said Rugby World Cup Limited, and IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset.
"At a time when we look forward to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, such a strong level of interest from countries across five continents clearly highlights the global prestige of a tournament that has grown to become a major event on the global sporting calendar."
The Host Union for the tournament will be selected at the May 2010 IRB Council meeting.
The IRB said with the admission of Rugby Sevens to the Olympic program, the event would not be staged after 2013.
Dubai hosted the 2009 edition.
“Colbert Bump" for US Speedskating
Comedian and political satirist Stephen Colbert is helping to raise funds for US Speedskating.
Colbert, Olympic gold medalist Dan Jansen and US Speedskating Executive Director Bob Crowley announced the sponsorship on Monday's show.
Colbert said: "we must ensure that it is America's 38-inch thighs on that medal platform!"
US Speedskating faces a $300,000 shortfall for the year after major sponsor Dutch bank DSB declared bankruptcy last month.
"US Speedskating is thrilled to be able to create a unique partnership between one of the great entertainers in the industry and one of the great sports in the Olympic movement,” said Crowley.
Fans can make donation to US Speedskating in the name of the “Colbert Nation”. The Colbert Nation logo will be displayed on speedskaters’s uniforms.
The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30cSport Report - NYC Marathon & Olympic Speedskatingwww.colbertnation.comColbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical HumorReligion
2010 World Cup Increases Olympic Chances
South Africa’s World Cup chief said the World Cup boosts the country’s chances of hosting the Olympics.
Danny Jordaan, chair of the organizing committee for the World Cup, made the comments at parliament's Tourism Portfolio Committee on Wednesday.
"I think if successful we will be able to put pressure on the IOC to award the Olympics to Africa," he said.
The World Cup is expected to attract 450,000 to South African and contribute $3.7 billion to the economy. Jordann said that 20,000 jobs have been directly created through stadium construction and another 400,000 through infrastructure projects.
Jordaan also said the World Cup could also boost tourism especially from the Americas. He said 82,000 tickets were bought by customers in the United States. So far, 680,000 of the available 3,030,077 tickets are sold.
South Africa Go South London
South African Olympians will train in South London leading up to the 2012 Summer Olympics.
The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee announced Tuesday that South African Olympians would make their base at South St Mary’s University College, Twickenham and the Lensbury Club.
“It’s very important that we do it right and get the athletes into the international atmosphere at an early stage and let them get used to their surroundings, etc," said SASCOC president Gideon Sam."They must be exposed to the international set-up. At the Beijing Olympics it was quite an eye-opener and I think some of the athletes were a bit over-awed.”
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Written by Ed Hula III and Sam Steinberg.