The International Olympic Committee has begun an investigation into claims Olympics representatives were willing to sell thousands of tickets for the London Games on the black market.
The IOC's ruling executive board met after fresh claims by the Sunday Times involving more than 50 countries.
Tickets for top events were said to be priced at up to 10 times face value.
A UK member of the board, Sir Craig Reedie, said the IOC would consider improvements to ticket sales systems.
"We will see what improvements we can build in to a more modern system, because it's very important that we protect the integrity of the ticket distribution system for Olympic games," he told the BBC.
The IOC has also referred the allegations to its independent ethics commission.
Former LibDem leader Sir Menzies Campbell, a member of the Olympic Board, called for offending countries to lose future allocations of tickets.
He said it was the responsibility of the IOC to regulate ticket allocations to member countries and was "not at the discretion of the London organisers".
The UK's Olympics organiser, Locog, denied claims its chairman, Lord Coe, was persuaded to hand over extra tickets to an IOC national representative.
The Sunday Times has submitted a dossier of evidence detailing claims that Olympic officials and agents had been caught selling thousands of tickets on the black market for up to 10 times their face value, says BBC Sports News correspondent James Pearce.
The IOC could also review how Olympic tickets are distributed among member countries - more than one million were distributed to those taking part in the Games.
Sir Menzies Campbell, a former Liberal Democrat leader who is on the Olympic Board, - which helps oversee London 2012 - told the BBC it was a "thorough disgrace".
"The sanctions [for offending countries] should be not just that the tickets get cancelled for this Olympic Games but that tickets are not awarded on future occasions," he added.
The Sunday Times alleges, during a two-month investigation in which reporters posed as Middle Eastern ticket touts, it found corruption involving people representing 54 separate countries.
Ticketing policyAccusations include an allegation a member of the Greek Olympics Committee said he had "persuaded" Lord Coe, chairman of the London organising committee, Locog, to give Greece more tickets on the pretext demand had outstripped supply.
Locog denies the claim.
A spokeswoman said: "With regard to 'boasts' by the Greek Olympic Committee' (HOC) that discussions on tickets took place with Sebastian Coe, we can confirm this is untrue.
"Seb received a letter from the HOC (as he did from other NOCs) and responded saying that tickets had been allocated in accordance with the IOC's ticketing policy. There was no further contact - either formal or informal - on this subject."
More than one million London 2012 tickets were distributed abroad among all the nations taking part in the Games, but the IOC has strict rules to try to combat touts.
National Olympic committees must ensure that their allocation is only sold within their own region.
Last month a senior Ukrainian Olympic official resigned after being filmed by the BBC offering tickets for cash.
'Strongest sanctions'The IOC said in a statement on the latest claims: "The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has moved quickly to deal with allegations that some National Olympic Committees (NOC) and Authorised Ticket Resellers (ATR) have broken rules relating to the sale of Olympic tickets.
"The IOC takes these allegations very seriously and has immediately taken the first steps to investigate.
"Should any irregularities be proven, the organisation will deal with those involved in an appropriate manner.
"The NOCs are autonomous organisations, but if any of the cases are confirmed the IOC will not hesitate to impose the strongest sanctions.
"The IOC has also determined that it will take on board any recommendations coming out of the inquiry to improve the way that tickets are allocated and sold internationally in the future."
London 2012 organising committee Locog said: "Rules and regulations for selling London 2012 tickets to international fans are clear and unambiguous.
"National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and their Authorised Ticket Sellers (ATRs) sign a contract with Locog agreeing to specific terms and conditions.
"The International Olympic Committee's (IOC) has launched an investigation in to the allegations and we will support them in any way we can. None of the tickets in question came from the allocation to the British public.
No tickets intended for the British market were involved, it added.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
No-marks: TOWIE invades Hollywood but Mark Wright and his pals are a disaster - Daily Mirror
First there was Frank Sinatra’s hell-raising Rat Pack.
Then came Tinsel Town’s 1980s Brat Pack.
And now here they are... Essex’s legendary Prat Pack!
OK, I’ll admit I fully expected Mark Wright’s Hollywood Nights to be pretty bad.
But all credit to Mark and his mates... they swiftly exceed my wildest nightmares.
This horrible hour of sheer tedium isn’t just bad... it’s a spectacular disaster that thoroughly deserves to rank alongside OMG! With Peaches Geldof and Outcasts among the worst programmes ever to disgrace the screen.
Congratulations to the top team at ITV2 on a fantastic addition to your stable of greatness.
The breathtakingly boring action starts after muscular Mark warns us: “Some of what you are about to see has been set up by me purely for your entertainment.” What entertainment?
Anyway, the non-story so far seems to be that a nice-but-dim himbo and his uncharismatic crew from Britain’s spray-tanned zone have been given a fistful of dollars to go to Los Angeles for a five-week holiday in the sun.
After a transparently fabricated mix-up over the tickets, three of them have to fly economy class. Who cares?
And when they arrive in California – surprise surprise – another transparently fabricated mix-up over the car hire.
So the boys are forced to drive off in a clapped-out old Ford Mondeo. Hilarious.
Oh no... now there’s yet another transparently fabricated mix-up over the hotel...
It’s a dreadful dump in the dangerous part of town... where our heroes witness an entirely staged fake shoot-out complete with a counterfeit cop. Terrifying.
Even classically trained thespians would struggle to make this child-like pretend tosh seem real.
But in the hands of five blocks of wood who can’t act their way out of a paper bag it’s a total joke.
So let’s meet sauna-loving Mr Wright’s impressive “entourage”: Mark’s minder DJ Nick DaFunk, aka Mr Expert, Mark’s business manager Neil, aka Mr 80s, Mark’s fat friend Tommy, aka Mr Mummy’s Boy and Mark’s driver Georgie, aka Mr Wheels.
It’s unclear whether Mr Wheels and the gormless gang are aware that the string-pulling producers are choreographing the far-fetched scrapes they keep getting into.
But they can’t possibly be as stupid as they look. So we can assume they’re in on the ruse.
Back to the deceitful drama... and after conveniently hooking up with a car full of scantily-clad stunners, Mark phones his pals: “I’m wiv de gels.
They’re gonna drive me back nah. I need to pick yous up.” A fine cut-glass accent. Estuary English as a second language.
Good on these lucky lads for nabbing a free vacation at gullible ITV’s expense.
But who wants to watch a bunch of bozos hamming it up in silly situations that simply don’t ring true?
Compared to this ludicrous “structured reality” shambles The Only Way Is Essex and Made In Chelsea look like Shakespeare...
No comedy... but a whole load of errors.
Big Brother: House of the Rising Dumb
Big Brother... and self-styled tough guy Chris declares: “I fancy eating an onion... it puts hairs on my chest.”
Yeah, Chris... very manly. One day it might even make your voice break.
And so Channel 5’s moronic inferno trundles on. And on...
Who ate all the sausages? Who gives a damn? Except cretinous country bumpkin Laura who clashes with her fellow females and sobs: “Girls never like me.”
Big surprise. I’m guessing boys don’t go a bundle on her either.
Meanwhile, eat your heart out Casanova... you’ve met your match. And his name is Luke Scrase. An old-school romantic, fluent in the language of love.
Marvel at this great seducer as he works his magic on trashy Ashleigh...
“I want to smash your back doors in,” he whispers. What woman could resist such charm and sophistication?
Not Ashleigh, that’s for damned sure. She wraps her legs around Luke’s face and purrs: “Don’t you start doing stuff like that on national television.”
Translation: “Start doing stuff like that... it’ll get us on national television.” Ashleigh’s no fool. Or is she?
Going down to the Depp...
Another triumph for the British education system as learned Annie Grace climbs aboard E4’s Love Shaft and dazzles us with her general knowledge.
Question: “Who’s the Prime Minister?” Annie: “What now? Er... Gordon Brown.” So close!
Question: “What’s the capital of America?” Annie: “New York.” Embarrassing silence. “It’s not New York?”
No it isn’t. But nice try.
Cut to the 21-year-old singer’s mortified mother Vickie, who cries: “What have I taught my daughter?”
Not a whole helluva lot, it would seem.
But this is the inexplicable speed-dating show set in a lift for no apparent reason.
So it doesn’t matter that poor Annie isn’t the sharpest pin in the pack.
It’s all about romance. . . and on her ascent to the penthouse suite, the fun-loving redhead is really hoping to meet Johnny Depp.
That’s gonna happen. Instead, she is confronted by a naked dork called Luca with a photograph of Mr Depp dangling over his private parts.
No one knows why.
An empty exercise in towering pointlessness, this pathetic programme is dangerously addictive.
Just say no.
Only Abi at home
An extreme case of soap agoraphobia as brilliant Abi Branning sensibly turns down the chance to spend eight weeks in the tropical paradise of Costa Rica.
Because there’s no way she’s leaving glamorous Albert Square!
After finishing (and presumably failing) her exams, Abs reveals: “The only thing that got me through all that revising was the thought of summer with Jay and my mates.” An exciting prospect...
Desperate to persuade her dim daughter to spread her wings, Britain’s worst mother Tanya sighs: “If you stay round here you’ll end up like me.”
Sleeping around , burying your cheating husband alive, etc.
But in the tiny micro-world of EastEnders, even the three-mile odyssey from Walford to the West End is considered an epic journey.
So Central America is simply out of the question.
Never mind... Kat’s back and all of a sudden the Beeb’s suicide-inducing Cockney drama feels slightly less depressing.
Issuing those dark threats she never goes through with, the magnificent Mrs Moon has declared war on her evil cousin-in-law Michael.
Oozing malevolence, E20’s top slapper snarls: “Michael Moon is a snake with a cesspit where his heart should be.”
Atta girl. Welcome home...
Losing marbs
Confusion as ITV2 proudly presents The Only Way Is Marbs.
I thought the only way was Essex.
It can’t be both.
But here they are… the orange people all on holiday in the same place at the same time.
In their tacky spiritual home, Marbella.
And a lucky break for loser Arg as giant Gemma shows him her massive backside and squeals: “You ain’t ever gonna get this candy.”
Arg’s relief is palpable…
Big up
Series end for Sky Atlantic’s marvellous Mad Men as womaniser extraordinaire Don Draper ordered a drink, lit his umpteenth cigarette… and prepared to play the field.
A great scene bringing down the curtain on a great series.
Which, inexplicably, hardly anyone watched.
But I did… and it restored my faith in television.
Big down
Pure poetry on Sky Living’s masterpiece Katie as The Pricey drawls: “I love you. I still don’t know what them words mean.”
Then Her Travesty has a tasteful tattoo of stockings and suspenders inked on to her thigh.
“You’ll look like a map!” cries her horrified mum Amy. “Dreadful.”
Agreed.
My fave lines
Euro 2012, England v France… and ITV’s cliché king Clive Tyldesley booms: “Agincourt, Waterloo… and now Donetsk!” Great comparison. What an idiot.
ITV… and the continuity lady says: “What with the sunshine hiding from us in the UK how about we at ITV give you a dose?” Er… no thanks.
More crap from Embarrassing Bodies Live At The Clinic… as excrement-obsessed Dr Dawn Harper informs us: “Tonight I’m having my poo examined to find out if eating your greens could actually help prevent cancer.”
Just shut the hell up…
Over to Euro 2012… and BBC1’s Mark Lawrenson declares: “You know what team stands for... Together Everyone Achieves More.”
Commentator Jonathan Pearce: “Was that your mantra at Liverpool?”Mark: “No, I just made it up.”
To Made In Chelsea’s sparsely attended end-of-season party… where midget Spencer Matthews reveals that his short romance with dwarf-like Louise Thompson is over.
Leaving him single... and free to star in Channel 5’s The Bachelor.
How convenient.
Source: www.mirror.co.uk
'Bionic' woman who competed in the London Marathon will cycle from Paris to London for charity - Daily Mail
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She captured the hearts of the nation when she miraculously crossed the finish line of the London Marathon by using bionic legs.
And now Claire Lomas plans to captivate Briton's once more - by cycling from Paris to London.
Despite not being able to move her legs she will cover the 250 mile ride on a special bike which uses electrical pulses to stimulate her muscles, forcing her to pedal.
Claire Lomas on her exercise bike at ;home in Melton, Mowbray. She is hoping to ride from Paris to London next Spring, despite being paralysed
Miss Lomas, who was left paralysed from the waist down following a horse-riding accident which severed her spinal cord, will once again be accompanied by her husband Dan.
'It is going to be really hard work but it is going to be very different to doing the marathon,' said the 31-year-old to the Sunday Telegraph. 'For the marathon I didn't have to be super fit as the pace was so slow in the robot.'
Miss Lomas, who is a mother to one-year-old Maisie, said she is concerned about not being able to tackle hills but has been using an indoor bike to train and is looking forward to being able to cycle outdoors.
In April this year she was joined by her husband, a research biologist, and tiny daughter for every step of the London Marathon, which took her two and a half weeks to complete.
Miss Lomas, of Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, managed to raise more than 200,000 for Spinal Research and attracted world wide attention during the challenge.
Aching with pain and struggling to stay upright she crossed the finish line a gruelling 16 days after she first started.
Hundreds gathered to watch Claire as she completed her challenge in London
A delighted Claire, who was supported by her husband Dan all the way, plants a kiss on daughter Maisie
People across the country were outraged when organisers refused to honour her achievement with an official medal because she did not finish within 24 hours.
Instead, 14 of her fellow runners, who were so inspired by her efforts donated theirs.
Miss Lomas was overwhelmed by support during her efforts and said it inspired her to think of something else to do for charity.
Her legs will be strapped into the special Functional Electrical Stimulation Bike, which is actually a tricycle, and electrodes will be attached to her thighs and connected to an electrical stimulator.
A computer, activated with the push of a button, will control the muscles in her legs and cause them to produce a pedalling motion.
Claire, pictured in her wheelchair with Maisie, will use a special tricycle to help her complete the ride from Paris to London
A throttle in the handle will also manage the intensity of the stimulation and the speed of the pedalling.
As part of her training Miss Lomas will take part in an outdoor ride from Glasgow later this month and hopes to complete her challenge from Paris to London in the Spring of next year.
She has said that although she gets help with pedalling from the electrical stimulation, it is still tiring for her.
'The signals from my brain can't get down my spinal cord because of my injury so they don't reach my legs, so the pads put an electrical signal straight into the muscles to make them contract. They still need oxygen and it requires cardiovascular fitness,' she said.
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
Hot and Humid Weather to Invade Windsor-Essex, Tuesday to Thursday - windsorite.ca
We’re in for a lot of heat in the coming days in Windsor-Essex.
Environment Canada says a very warm air mass is projected to arrive on Monday over southwestern Ontario and make its way across the rest of Southern Ontario through the week.
The heat is expected to intensify and spread over much of Southern Ontario on Tuesday building into a three-day heat episode. Monday’s high temperatures are expected to reach the 30°C or 86°F mark in Windsor. The mercury is anticipated to soar past 35°C or 95°F Tuesday and likely persist through Thursday, affecting Windsor, Essex County and much of Southwestern Ontario to the greater Toronto area.
Elevated humidity levels will combine with the high temperatures to give humidex values of 40°C or 104°F and higher. Night-time temperatures will also remain very warm and are not expected to drop below 22°C or 72°F.
This is expected to make for very uncomfortable conditions and moderate to high readings in the air quality health index.
Source: windsorite.ca
Only Way Is (out of) Essex for Sam and Joey - The Sun
The pair began dating when they met on the second series of Towie last year.
Now they see themselves as the next Katie Price and Peter Andre — whose fly-on-the-wall ITV2 series was a huge hit until the couple divorced.
Last week Sam and Joey were spotted discussing plans for a new reality show in central London’s swanky W Hotel.
Insiders revealed: “Sam and Joey were talking about how they were going to do their own spin-off show and how they’d love it to be on ITV2.
“Joey said he thought Sam would be perfect starring in her own show and that people would finally get to see her funny side.”
The move comes after Sam admitted last month that she thought it could be time to leave Towie behind. The blonde beauty has written a book, launched her boutique — called Minnies — and won numerous modelling jobs thanks to the show.
She said: “I’ve done five series so there will come a time when I leave.
“I don’t want to be there with no new storylines because I’ve already done everything I can do.”
However, Sam has warned Joey that she won’t act the fool in a new telly series.
Our insider continued: “Sam was insistent she didn’t want to come across as stupid in the show — that was her main focus.
“They both seemed very excited by the new venture.”
Sam has appeared in ITV’s Essex hit since it was launched in October 2010, while Joey joined in March 2011.
Last night Joey’s manager said: “There is nothing official being discussed yet and there are no plans for Joey to go anywhere at the minute.
“But the guys may chat about ideas they have.”
Source: www.thesun.co.uk
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