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THE Red Arrows have been banned from performing at the 2012 London Olympics as they are too BRITISH. Barmy organisers claim the popular RAF display team’s military background “might offend other nations”. The decision has left pilots, who were set to perform their best-ever display at the opening ceremony, in a state of outrage. One said yesterday: “We have been simply blown away by this decision. “For years we have talked about performing a display at the Olympic Games and how magnificent it would be. “It never crossed our mind we would be banned from the event.” The Arrows, officially...

It has been called a puerile mess, a health hazard, a disastrous waste of £400,000... and even the London 2012 Olympics logo. The logo which cost a reported £400,000 After a week in which the new logo sparked nationwide ridicule, hostile questions in the House of Commons and a series of epileptic fits, it seems that only one question remained unanswered: exactly whose bright idea was this? It can now be revealed that the man who led the design team that created the logo is Patrick Cox, the executive creative director of Wolff Olins, an Islington-based brand consultancy with links...

The designers of the controversial London Olympics logo claim that they intended it as only the first part of an "evolving branding package". The chunky, geometric shapes spelling out the date 2012 are supposed to be a "blank canvas" that will be filled with diverse images, photographs and sponsorship messages over the next five years, they say. The2012 logo is to be filled with a range of images Many of the images used to "infill" the shapes will be created by the public, who will be encouraged to enter competitions held every six months, with the winner chosen by online...

THE controversial 2012 London Olympics logo was rocked by another blow last night — after it was ruled too dangerous to view on-screen. An animated version of the symbol used on TV and the internet had to be dropped because it could trigger fits in thousands of people. The £400,000 logo, a graffiti-style spelling of 2012 in shades of pink, blue, green and orange, was branded “hideous” when it was launched on Monday. And Olympics bosses were left squirming with embarrassment after an epilepsy group reported 12 cases of people collapsing through looking at it. Epilepsy Action warned that 23,000...

Ready, set, go: from the Observer nine days ago: "Olympic costs set to double: Londoners face huge tax rise". Oh, come on. Only double? You can do better than that. Remember the 1976 Olympics? Well, no, you probably don't, unless you're in late middle age. But they were held in Montreal. I'm a Montrealer and our 2006 tax bill is projected to be the year we finally pay off the debts on the games. The '76 Olympics were opened by the Queen, just like the London Games will be, and the city built a big stadium in the East End,...

A MASSIVE mosque that will hold 40,000 worshippers is being proposed beside the Olympic complex in London to be opened in time for the 2012 Games. The project’s backers hope the mosque and its surrounding buildings would hold a total of 70,000 people, only 10,000 fewer than the Olympic stadium. Its futuristic design features wind turbines instead of the traditional minarets, while a translucent latticed roof would replace the domes seen on most mosques. The complex is designed to become the “Muslim quarter” for the Games, acting as a hub for Islamic competitors and spectators. “It will be something never...

A MASSIVE mosque that will hold 40,000 worshippers is being proposed beside the Olympic complex in London to be opened in time for the 2012 Games. The project’s backers hope the mosque and its surrounding buildings would hold a total of 70,000 people, only 10,000 fewer than the Olympic stadium. Its futuristic design features wind turbines instead of the traditional minarets, while a translucent latticed roof would replace the domes seen on most mosques. The complex is designed to become the “Muslim quarter” for the Games, acting as a hub for Islamic competitors and spectators. “It will be something never...

The government has been urged to relax gun laws which make it illegal for Britain's top pistol shooters to train in England, Scotland and Wales. Home Secretary Charles Clarke has given special permission for pistol events to be staged at the London 2012 Olympics. But British team members face having to do all their 2012 preparations abroad. "It would be fantastic if they were given the ability to compete on a level playing field," said British shooting's performance chief John Leighton-Dyson. "I would like to think reasonable people will be able to have reasonable discussions and come to reasonable...

2008 presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has failed in her first major foreign initiative - a high profile bid to bring the 2012 Olympic games to New York City. Hours before this morning's announcement that London would host the 2012 games, Clinton was pulling out all the stops to bring the sports extravaganza to her constituents back home. Mrs. Clinton told reporters in Singapore, where the Olympic committee was meeting, that the Big Apple "exemplifies Olympic values every single day. Living in New York is like living in an Olympic Village - you have every language from every corner of the...

SINGAPORE, July 8 -- Baseball and softball were dropped Friday from the Olympics for the 2012 Summer Games in London. Each of the 28 existing sports was put to a secret vote by the International Olympic Committee, and baseball and softball failed to receive a majority required to stay on the program. The other 26 sports were retained. "I think they've made a big, big mistake," said Tommy Lasorda, the former Los Angeles Dodgers manager who managed the 2000 U.S. team to the gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Games. "Baseball is played by all countries now and softball, too....

PARIS (Reuters) - French politicians, media and sports officials cried foul on Thursday over London's snatching of the 2012 Olympic Games from Paris, suggesting underhand tactics may have played a part. Many congratulated London on its surprise victory. Others said they were convinced Paris's bid was better. Some said London had gone beyond the bounds of fair play. "An injustice has been done to us by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) members. It's an affront to France," said Francis Luyce, head of France's swimming federation. Paris bid chief Bertrand Delanoe, the city's mayor, questioned the tactics that helped London win...

LONDON has been awarded the 2012 Olympic Games after the most bitterly fought bid battle in Olympic history. The London team beat out long-time favourites Paris as well as Madrid, Moscow and New York to win the race to stage the lucrative sports extravaganza. International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge announced the winner at a globally televised ceremony after a day of presentations and deliberations at the IOC session in Singapore's Raffles City complex. The news was greeted by screams of joy from the London team. The 2008 Olympics will be held in Beijing. Earlier in Singapore, the cities gave...

Per BBC(Not posted yet... ) London wins 2012 Olympics bid!!!

Per Fox News

London, Paris, Madrid, New York and Moscow will finally learn on Wednesday who has prevailed in the battle to host the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.The cities' fate lies in the hands of the International Olympic Committee members (IOC), who may take less than an hour to reach a verdict. IOC president Jacques Rogge is expected to announce the winner at 1246 BST.BBC Sport explains the voting process and looks for clues on how it could go in Singapore. Who decides? Voters profiled Going for gold: Interactive voting guide   CHOOSING THE WINNER RIVAL IOC MEMBERS GB: Princess Royal, Craig Reedie,...

SINGAPORE -- A day before the crucial vote, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton joined the New York delegation on Tuesday for a homestretch round of lobbying aimed at convincing the International Olympic Committee to award the city the 2012 Summer Games. The former first lady was put to work immediately. Before she could even have her first bite of breakfast after a long flight she was taken to meet an IOC member. "New York City exemplifies Olympic values every single day," she said. "Living in New York is like living in an Olympic Village -- you have every language from every...

City's bid leaders praise her decision to join the delegation for Wednesday's vote by the International Olympic Committee. NEW YORK - Other cities are bringing presidents, prime ministers and royalty to Singapore in hopes of landing the 2012 Olympics. New York is bringing Hillary Rodham Clinton. The city's bid leaders praised the decision by the New York senator and former first lady to join the delegation for Wednesday's vote by the International Olympic Committee. "I think there is no question that everyone here will know who she is," said Dan Doctoroff, the bid chief and deputy mayor. "All over the...

New York has a Plan B Olympic Stadium. And, now, it has Plan B star power. Sen. Hillary Clinton will travel to Singapore to help lobby the International Olympic Committee to award the 2012 Games to New York, marking a last-minute addition to the city's delegation, Mayor Bloomberg announced yesterday. Clinton, New York's Democratic junior senator, will be the highest-level U.S. official to attend Wednesday's IOC meeting, adding some wattage to a delegation sorely lacking in political luminaries. Still, her 11th-hour addition to the roster raises questions about the level of desperation among New York officials. As the Daily News...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to Singapore next week as part of a U.S. delegation hoping an international upset will award the 2012 Olympics to New York. The International Olympic Committee may have soured on the Big Apple since the state rejected a proposed showpiece stadium in Manhattan. But New York is hoping another proposal for a stadium in Queens will still entice IOC members.Clinton, D-N.Y., will attend as part of a delegation that includes Muhammad Ali and dozens of other athletes."It is an honor to accept Mayor Bloomberg's invitation," she said in a statement. As...

PARIS, March 9 (AFP) - The strong case mustered by Paris for the right to hold the 2012 Olympic Games could receive a serious blow Thursday when unions stage a day of strikes and demonstrations against the government just as IOC inspectors are touring the capital. Widely regarded as the favourite in the race for the games, Paris will have its weak spot dangerously exposed as much of the city grinds to a halt because of transport stoppages, walk-outs in government offices, schools and public utilities, and a mass protest march in the afternoon. The 13 members of the International...