GB put to pick strong team for London 2012 Olympics

GB put to pick strong team for London 2012 Olympics

Great Britain is set to be symbolized by at least 500 athletes at the London 2012 Olympics, an add to on the 311 sent to the Beijing games in 2008.

The development, which is subject to funding, was agreed at a meeting of the National Olympic Committee which also sets the qualifying criteria.

The BOA will set the selection criteria for Team GB after the International Olympic Committee and the individual sports' international federations release international qualification standards in the summer.

Olympic Stadium will use for Twenty20 cricket after the 2012 Games

Essex announced on Thursday that they were bearing in mind a joint offer with West Ham and Newham Council to turn the stadium in Stratford into a multi-sport venue capable of staging football, cricket and athletics.

The club would continue to play County Championship matches at their Chelmsford headquarters but would use the stadium as a 'festival ground' for Twenty20 matches.

UK's pre-Olympics increase shift to Loughborough

The BOA declared on Wednesday it would now stand its pre-Games training headquarters and its uniform distribution centre at Loughborough University, rather than Aldershot.

The army could not illuminate the crash the decision would have on Aldershot's multimillion pound sporting renewals. When the initial BOA deal was released, Aldershot was allegedly earmarked for a £400 million upgrade, including two new indoor arenas, a running track and hockey centre.

Olympics enhances London housing market prices

The residential property developer yesterday said full-year results will be "materially ahead of market expectations" after a sharp boost in sales during the first three months of 2010.

"The housing market in East London has shown positive signs of recovery, with regeneration surrounding the build up to the 2012 Olympics continuing to stimulate demand," said Andrew Wiseman, chief executive.


About £1.7bn has been set aside in the Olympic budget for investment in renewal, with Telford benefiting from the boost to infrastructure and stature that the project has brought.

In the year to March 31, the company got 389 completions, compared to 350 in the previous financial year, according to its trading statement.

A total of 70 pre-sales were made on developments with overseas investors, a reflection of the improved market in East London.

Skipping Worlds won't keep LeBron, Bosh out of Olympics

INDIANAPOLIS — Skipping the World Basketball Championship this summer won’t necessarily keep LeBron James and others off the 2012 U.S. Olympic team after all.

Speaking to Sun Media after the 2010 hall of fame class was announced Monday, USA Basketball head honcho Jerry Colangelo clarified statements he made earlier this week that raised the ire of James.

“We appreciate the fact they’re willing to give their time. We have to be flexible,” Colangelo said. “Some players may have to miss for whatever the reason may be — contracts, injuries, family issues...free agency this year is big.”

Previously, Colangelo had said he would not provide “free passes” in terms of playing in London in 2012 for players who skipped the worlds without a valid excuse.

That had sparked an angry response from James, the likely NBA MVP.

“There’s a lot that goes on with being a professional athlete other than just basketball,” James told reporters. “I’m not trying to bash Jerry or anything like that because he’s a good guy and I respect him. I don’t respect (his statement) because of the commitment we’ve all given to the U.S.A.”

Colangelo said he realizes James, Dwyane Wade and the Raptors’ Chris Bosh will have a lot on their mind this summer — like who to accept millions of dollars from — and he wasn’t speaking particularly about them.

“The point I made regarding London is, we will give credit for all the equity people have put into it," he said. "Bosh has equity, so does Wade, so does LeBron. Things happen. We just have to be flexible."

The trio has been involved with USA Basketball since 2003.