Locog official attempts to reassure public over 2012 ticketing & website issues

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Olympic bosses have sought to reassure the British public about the readiness of London 2012 preparations, including the integrity of the ticketing and trouble-plagued ticket website, with six months to go until the opening ceremony.

Paul Deighton, the chief executive of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games, said the one million applicants who missed out on tickets in the UK ballot would be given a priority listing in the next release of 1.3 million tickets in April.

But he warned the robustness of the ticketing website was “reputationally critical” for sponsors Ticketmaster.

Deighton said the extreme demand for tickets created a massive ticket challenge, not just in the system, but in managing disappointment from those who miss out.

“Ticketmaster is making the site as robust as it can possibly be, it is reputationally critical of course and they are committed to it,” Deighton said.

One idea not yet confirmed is that some people who miss out on tickets altogether may be able to access one of the two dress rehearsals of the opening ceremony – of which some details were released on Friday.

One of the segments will promote the NHS with nurses and schoolchildren, while Shakespeare and a huge bell are other elements.

Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt was buoyant about the economic impacts of hosting the Games and said they will be the most exciting time in British history.

He insisted that the Games will provide a critical confidence boost to help stimulate the economy, not just in the United Kingdom but around the world.

Hunt said there were defined economic benefits such as £2.5billion over the next three years in direct tourism boosts.

“This isn’t just about tangible benefits,” said Hunt as he revealed he was working alongside the Treasury on anticipated GDP benefits.

“If we get the Games right we can transform confidence. This is a unique opportunity to bang the drum and if we get it right we can have a tremendous impact. We hope it has a boost for global confidence too.”

Meanwhile, the British Olympic Association has been given some heavyweight support for its forthcoming drugs hearing at the Court of Arbitration of Sport.

Both the Government and Locog chairman Lord Coe have written in support of the BOA’s longstanding lifetime ban from Olympic teams of drug cheats.


Source
By Jacquelin Magnay, Olympics Correspondent
Telegraph.co.uk - Telegraph online, Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph - Telegraph