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London 2012: More Olympic tickets go on sale this week London 2012: More Olympic tickets go on sale this week
(40 minutes later)
Half a million Olympic football tickets have been withdrawn but 200,000 for other sports will be made available with 10 days until the Games begin. Half a million Olympic football tickets have been withdrawn but 200,000 for other sports are to be made available, London 2012 has said.
Organisers are to reduce capacity at the five football venues apart from London's Wembley Stadium. Organisers are to reduce capacity at Hampden Park in Glasgow and Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
The upper tier of seats at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium will be closed for all games, including two featuring Great Britain teams. The upper tier of seats in Cardiff will be closed for all games, including two featuring Great Britain teams.
But more contingency tickets will be made available for other sports.But more contingency tickets will be made available for other sports.
In addition to 50,000 non-football tickets that have yet to be sold, 200,000 other will be available online this week. In addition to 50,000 non-football tickets that have yet to be sold, 200,000 other tickets will be made available online this week.
BBC sports news correspondent James Pearce said it was a "fairly extraordinary revelation from London 2012" that so many tickets had yet to go on sale. BBC sports news correspondent James Pearce said it was a "fairly surprising revelation from London 2012" that so many tickets had yet to go on sale.
The Olympic Games begin with a round of football matches on Wednesday 25 July, including Team GB's women taking on New Zealand in Cardiff, two days before the opening ceremony in Olympic Park.The Olympic Games begin with a round of football matches on Wednesday 25 July, including Team GB's women taking on New Zealand in Cardiff, two days before the opening ceremony in Olympic Park.
London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe told the BBC "just shy of 40,000" tickets had been sold for that match and suggested the shortfall in football ticket sales was to be expected. London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe told the BBC "just shy of 40,000" tickets had been issued for that match and suggested the shortfall in football ticket sales was to be expected.
"It's always a challenge; you've got lots of venues and lots of matches and you don't know until late on who is going to be playing," he said."It's always a challenge; you've got lots of venues and lots of matches and you don't know until late on who is going to be playing," he said.
Lord Coe said the remaining tickets - 200,000 for football matches in addition to the 250,000 for other sports - would be sold "by hook or by crook". Lord Coe said the remaining tickets would be sold "by hook or by crook".
That may include using London 2012's Ticket Share system, which provides free tickets to children, servicemen and women and their families, and sportspeople, funded through hospitality packages.That may include using London 2012's Ticket Share system, which provides free tickets to children, servicemen and women and their families, and sportspeople, funded through hospitality packages.
"We've got millions of tickets into the hands of British people. That's exactly what we said at the beginning of the process," Lord Coe told James Pearce."We've got millions of tickets into the hands of British people. That's exactly what we said at the beginning of the process," Lord Coe told James Pearce.
"Nearly 2m people applied for tickets. There was a massive demand but we were always clear that more tickets would come available late on." "Nearly two million people applied for tickets. There was a massive demand but we were always clear that more tickets would come available late on."
Tickets are still available for sports including athletics, hockey and beach volleyball, as well as in the higher price bands for the opening and closing ceremonies.Tickets are still available for sports including athletics, hockey and beach volleyball, as well as in the higher price bands for the opening and closing ceremonies.
At a media briefing Lord Coe also said that the wet weather was "a problem and is causing us extra challenges" in particular at the equestrian venue of Greenwich Park and the Eton Dorney rowing and canoeing venue. He advised spectators to "bring wellies".At a media briefing Lord Coe also said that the wet weather was "a problem and is causing us extra challenges" in particular at the equestrian venue of Greenwich Park and the Eton Dorney rowing and canoeing venue. He advised spectators to "bring wellies".