LONDON 2012

Brazil have named a strong London Olympics football squad filled with attacking stars including Neymar, Hulk and Alexandre Pato.

Coach Mano Menezes has selected Porto striker Hulk alongside AC Milan's Thiago Silva and Real Madrid left-back Marcelo as his three over-age players for the 2012 Games.

But it is the attacking threat that will concern most opposition teams with some of the world's leading forwards named in the squad.

Santos' Neymar has scored nine goals in 18 games for the senior Brazil team, while Hulk and AC Milan's Pato have also impressed for the full side.

Young Premier League players Rafael, of Manchester United, and Tottenham midfielder Sandro have also been included.

Following defeats against Mexico and Argentina in warm-up games last month, Menezes identified a problem in finding effective defensive players under 23 years old and has turned to two more experienced men in Silva and Marcelo.

Brazil lost 2-0 to Mexico and 4-3 to Argentina but Menezes says he does not think the problems experienced in those games will continue at the Games.

"I don't think the issues that arose against Argentina will be repeated with such frequency as they did in that game, because Messi won't be at the Olympics," he said.

"We won't face a player who picks up the ball in midfield and destroys defensive systems individually and finishes in the way he does."

Brazil, top seeds in Group C and seeking their first Olympic football gold medal, kick off against Egypt on July 26, before playing Belarus on July 29 and New Zealand on Aug 1.

They play a final warm-up game against Team GB at Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium on July 20.

Brazil squad:

Rafael Cabral (Santos), Neto (Fiorentina); Alex Sandro (Porto), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Rafael (Manchester United), Danilo (Porto), Thiago Silva (AC Milan), Bruno Uvini (Sao Paulo), Juan (Inter Milan); Sandro (Tottenham), Romulo (Spartak Moscow), Paulo Henrique Ganso (Santos), Oscar (Internacional), Lucas Moura (Sao Paulo); Neymar (Santos), Leandro Damiao (International), Alexandre Pato (AC Milan), Hulk (Porto).

-Telegraph Sports

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Dame Kelly Holmes gave Great Britain’s Olympic football squad an “inspirational” pep talk as they arrived in the athletes’ village on Monday.

The double Olympic gold medallist told the squad to embrace the spirit of the Games and not to cut themselves off from it in a meeting Craig Bellamy described as “just incredible”.

Both the men’s and women’s teams met Holmes and Sir Clive Woodward, Team GB’s deputy chef de mission, before spending their first evening in the village on Monday night.

Fellow Welshman Ryan Giggs took her message to heart, saying he hoped a British squad could be fielded regularly for the Games, despite hostility from national football associations.

Bellamy said meeting Holmes had been a “privilege”.

“She gave us a chat as to what to expect and about looking forward to these Olympics,” he said. “It has been immense. Meeting the likes of Kelly Holmes is just incredible – this week has been amazing not just for me but I’m sure for everyone else as well.”

The Liverpool forward said that Holmes told the squad the Games experience would be very different to their normally sheltered lifestyle, cut off from distractions before matches.

“There is a lot more going on,” he said. “You have to be a lot more patient – you eat with every single other athlete but it all adds to the experience.

“Her knowledge and her experience of being involved in the Olympics is just basically to enjoy it, embrace that. Go and speak to other athletes, go and introduce yourself, ask how they are and just be part of this Great Britain experience. This is something to cherish for the rest of my life.”

He said he was most looking forward to chatting with Usain Bolt while Giggs hoped to grab five minutes with Roger Federer.

Giggs’s desire to see a British team compete in future Games is likely to raise eyebrows in Wales, where the Welsh FA reacted badly to the British Olympic Association trumpeting its “historic agreement” to let players of all four nationalities compete.

But the Manchester United midfielder, one of five Welshmen picked by Stuart Pearce, said he had heard “nothing but positive feedback” from everyone apart from the associations.

“I just hope that fellow British footballers can experience what I’ve experienced so far this week and hopefully experience in the next few weeks,” he said. “I hope it is not a one-off. I hope in future Olympics there will be more Great Britain teams.”

Speaking about his and Bellamy’s decision to take part, he added: “Obviously we are both Welsh and proud of it but for me personally I just couldn’t turn down the chance of playing in the biggest sporting event in the world.”

Daniel Sturridge, who has been suffering from viral meningitis, rejoined the squad yesterday after their week training in Spain, but doubts remain over his fitness.

Pearce said he would assess the Chelsea forward this week before making a final decision by the weekend to allow a potential new squad member up to a week to bed in before the first group game against Senegal on 26 July.

“There was certainly doubt because of the illness that he has had,” he said. “Obviously in 10, 12 days’ time we go into our first group match so I’ve got to be 100 per cent sure in my own mind that Daniel is fit enough and is ready to go on that first day or certainly very soon after it.” Pearce played down suggestions he was disappointed with the squad’s performance in their match in Spain on Sunday night, when they lost 1-0 to Mexico.

All 17 players took part in the friendly in Marbella, which Team GB dominated for large periods. But they were defeated regardless thanks to a first-half strike from Marco Fabian.

Pearce insisted that he was “buoyed by the performance” and that the team would put in a better performance in their friendly against Brazil in Middlesbrough on Friday.

“I think we’ll get stronger as the tournament goes on, physically and gelling together as a team,” he said. “I also see probably a step up in performance from the Mexico game to the Brazilian game. But the important thing for me is to make sure they are all fit and raring to go for the Senegal game. We have had one game together – we are delighted with that performance and now we will hit the ground running.”

Pearce said he would let players decide individually whether to attend the opening ceremony, the night after their opener against Senegal and shortly before the remaining group matches against the UAE and Uruguay.

-Tom Rowley

www.telegraph.co.uk

Sebastian Coe, the London 2012 chairman, made an unscheduled appearance in the Olympic Village here this afternoon for the first of what will be 204 Welcoming Ceremonies at the Games – with the two-strong British Virgin Islands team receiving the first official greeting.

Speaking after Dame Tessa Jowell, Deputy Mayor of the Village, had extended her "warmest welcome" on behalf of the United Kingdom, Coe said: "There is nothing like the chairman of the Organising Committee to buck the protocol, but as this is the first of our Welcoming Ceremonies – and I don't think I will be doing this for the 203 other versions – I felt it was appropriate to echo the welcome that Tessa Jowell has just given.

"We have prepared what we hope is the best possible village for your athletes.

"I hope you spend your time here fruitfully, and that your athletes go home refreshed and hopefully with medals.

"You are extraordinarily welcome, and we look forward to seeing more of you in the course of the next few weeks.

"Thank you for being here."

The two athletes – 100 metres runners J'Maal Alexander and Tahesia Harrigan-Scott (pictured top, with Coe) – have been staying with hosts in the small village of Aston, close to Stevenage in Hertfordshire.

They and their party of officials were greeted by members of the National Youth Theatre in colourful motley performing acrobatics and songs.

The British Virgin Islands NOC representative then added his signature to the Olympic Truce wall before the flag was raised to the national anthem.

-Mike Rowbottom at Olympic Village in London

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Team is based  in the Vale of Glamorgan as they prepare for the London 2012 Games.

The team flew into Wales this weekend and were given a warm welcome by local school children as they arrived at the Vale Resort in Hensol. A group of excited year six pupils from St Helen’s Primary School in Barry had made flags and banners and treated the team to a special performance of an Olympic song and dance that they had prepared.

Some of the team’s athletes, boxers, cyclists, sailors and swimmers were also given good luck cards by the children, and teacher Rebecca Benson said: “The children were really looking forward to this chance to meet the team and wish them all well for London 2012. During the last year we have worked on a wide range of Olympic and Paralympic themed activities in school, and we chose to focus on the Trinidad and Tobago team for a project so this is a fantastic way to round off our year.”

The 50-strong Trinidad and Tobago team are one of 21 countries that the Welsh Government has attracted to Wales for their pre-Games training camps. With the 2014 Commonwealth Games taking place in Glasgow, a conscious effort was made to target Commonwealth countries, such as Trinidad and Tobago, with the intention of developing long-term relationships.

The work to attract countries to Wales began several years ago, as Annette Knott, the Trinidad and Tobago team’s Chef De Mission, said: “When this journey started three years ago, we always felt that it would have a wonderful ending. While we haven’t finished our journey yet, this has been an excellent experience so far. From day one, everyone has gone out of their way to help us with lovely Welsh hospitality, and we were delighted to be given such a wonderful welcome from the young children of St Helen’s Primary School.”

Mrs Knott, a T&T Olympic Committee vice president added: “I can’t say enough how happy we are to be here and we definitely made the right choice in coming to Wales. Some people wondered why we were coming so far from London, but we wanted to be away from the heat and intensity of London so we would be able to have a quiet place to focus ahead of the Games.”

During their stay in the Vale, the Trinidad and Tobago athletics team is training at Cardiff’s International Sports Stadium, and their track and field stars will also be on show at the stadium’s ‘Road to London’ international athletics meeting which is taking place this Wednesday evening.

The Trinidad and Tobago team includes a number of top Olympic medal prospects, such as 100m sprinters Keston Bledman and Richard Thompson and Kelly Ann Baptiste to name a few. Bledman is one of the fastest men in the world this year, having scorched to a career-best 9.86 seconds in Trinidad’s Olympic trials, while Thompson won the 100m silver medal four years ago in Beijing, finishing behind a certain Mr Usain Bolt.

In addition to their sprint kings, Trinidad and Tobago’s other track and field stars include 400m runners Lalonde Gordon and Sparkle McKnight, as well as 400m hurdler Jehue Gordon, who could all be set for international stardom.

Welcoming their presence in Wales, Sports Minister Huw Lewis said: “Camps such as these provide an excellent opportunity to develop our sporting, educational and cultural exchanges with these countries, and I would like to extend a warm Welsh welcome to the Trinidad and Tobago team team. For children and local communities they give us the opportunity to learn more about other nations and provide us with a positive Games legacy for Wales.”

Mr Lewis added: “It is well known that sport is a major influence on young people and having athletes of global stature training on their doorstep and living in their communities will be hugely inspirational.”

Vale Resort Sales and Marketing Director Paul Beddoe said: “We are delighted to be able to host the Trinidad and Tobago pre-Olympic training camp which is testament to both our and Wales’ fantastic sporting facilities. We wish the team every success in the London 2012 Olympics.”

You can find out more about the benefits the London 2012 Games are bringing to Wales at www.walesin2012.com. You can keep up to date with the latest community sports and play news from the Vale of Glamorgan by going online at www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/sportsnews or by following @valesportsnews on Twitter.

Australia's red-hot Olympic favourite Sally Pearson suffered her first defeat of the season in the 100 metres hurdles as Games medal hopefuls found the going tough at a cold and wet London Grand Prix yesterday.

World champion Pearson, winner of 15 of her 16 races last year and unbeaten in 2012, led until the final two hurdles before she was overhauled by American Kellie Wells who won in a time of 12.57 seconds. Pearson was two hundredths of a second behind.

"My coach told me to come here and do something today and I think I did it pretty well, I'll have to go and check with him," said Wells, who celebrated her victory with a dance on the track, to the delight of the capacity crowd.

There was also a shock in the women's 100 metres with Nigerian Blessing Okagbare winning the race in 11.01 seconds, 0.02 ahead of world champion Carmelita Jeter.

Olympic gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce appeared to stumble slightly at the start and finished last, but was philosophical about her performance and refused to blame the wet weather.

"As an athlete you have to take precautionary measures and hope things get better because the Olympics are pretty much on us," she said.

"I don't think the weather was that bad. I hope that when I go on the track (at the Olympics) there'll be a lot of sunshine in my lane, Fraser Pryce told reporters with a smile.

Women's javelin world record holder and Olympic champion Barbora Spotakova of the Czech Republic came off second best to Britain's Goldie Sayers who won the event with a national record of 66.17 metres.

But the news was less good for Beijing silver medallist Phillips Idowu and high hurdler Tiffany Porter with both Britons suffering injury scares with a little under three weeks to the start of the athletics at the London Games.

Idowu pulled out of the triple jump competition with a back injury and Porter left the track in tears having finished last in her 100 hurdles heat in some discomfort.

In the Londoner's absence American world champion Christian Taylor had a comfortable win with a best distance of 17.41 metres but he did not discount the challenge he faced from Idowu at the Olympics.

France's Christophe Lemaitre won the men's 200 in a season's best time of 19.91 but said he would have to go faster to win an Olympic medal.

"I knew I could run under 20 seconds but to do that here is very good, two weeks before the Olympic Games. Now I'm very confident over this distance.

"For the Olympic Games I want to go even faster, because with (Usain) Bolt, (Yohan) Blake and the other sprinters I think that I must beat my personal best if I want to win a medal.

Britain's Christine Ohuruogu battled through a torrential downpour to overtake world gold medallist Amantle Montsho for victory in the women's 400 in 50.42.

It was in stark contrast to her 'appalling' performance — as the Olympic champion described it.

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Olympic legend Carl Lewis has cast doubt on sprint sensation Usain Bolt repeating as 100 metres champion at the London Olympics starting later this month.

Jamaican Bolt will start the July 27th to August 12 as the defending champion in both sprints after dominating in Beijing four years ago.

Lewis, who won gold in the event at the 1984 Los Angeles showpiece and four years later in Seoul, said it was difficult for sprinters to remain in peak condition for extended periods.

"The reason it hasn't been done is because it's hard to stay at that level for a long period of time. People are always trying to beat you when you are a champion," the American pointed out.

"(Yohan) Blake has beaten Bolt two years in a row now after the World Championships in 2011 and we don't know what Bolt's head is like when he loses."

He continued: "It's a challenge to win two in a row but history defines greatness. You don't have greatness in your time – you are great because of history.

"We always try to predict which races are going to be great but you just don't know and that is the brilliant thing about it."

Chinks appeared in Bolt's armour two weeks ago when he was twice beaten by training partner Blake at the Jamaica National Trials.

On both occasions, Blake clocked world-leading times – 9.75 seconds in the 100m and 19.80 in the 200m – to install himself as one of the favourites in London.

Lewis, a nine-time Olympic gold medal winner, warned about the hype surrounding Blake.

"I still don't understand this Yohan Blake situation because one year ago I had never heard of him and now everyone is saying he is the greatest," Lewis said.

"But, in 2004, I went through the same thing with Maurice Greene. I said then that history defines greatness. Maurice only won bronze [in Athens] and then disappeared. That is why I let it all take place because I know how quickly it can change."

Lewis pointed out the 100m field was perhaps a lot more open than many were willing to admit.

"People are talking about Bolt but (Justin) Gatlin could win," said Lewis.

at the time — for last place at this meeting in 2011. "I've done all the work so I'm happy that I can take something like that away. I knew I had a good chance, I saw her (Montsho) look back so then I thought, 'I've got you now'," said Ohuruogu, who was disqualified from the world championships last year for a false start. Men's world champion Kirani James timed his race to perfection, surging to the front off the bend to win in 44.86. Kenyan Silas Kiplagat burst to the front off the final bend to win the men's mile in 3:52.44 after the race had been subject to two false starts, which were put down to a technical problem.

www.trinidadexpress.com

Several African countries have pulled out of pre-Olympic training camps in Britain at the last minute because they are unable to pay the fees. Senegal, Uganda, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia and Mozambique are among the nations which have reneged on agreements to use the UK's training facilities before the Games.

Locog, the Games organisers, pledged to pay up to £25,000 to any Olympic or Paralympic team who did their training in the UK, but were prepared to pay out only afterwards. This has left poorer nations struggling to find the funds up front.

The lost time acclimatising to British weather and the missed opportunity to use international-standard facilities could put them at a disadvantage to other athletes. The no-shows will also be a blow to Locog, who planned the camps around Britain to help spread the legacy of the Games beyond London.

The Ugandan team were meant to be in Coventry before the Games but will now go straight to the Olympic Village on 22 July. A spokesman said: "There would have been a lot of expense involved… They all wanted to go to Coventry."

Gambian athletes had been expected in York, but Momodou Demba, chef de mission at Gambia's National Olympic Committee (NOC), said: "Unfortunately it did not work out… Locog promise to take care of the bill, but the fact that we would have to put up the money first then be reimbursed does not go down well. It's quite expensive."

Burundi never took up the offer of a British training camp because they knew they would not have the funds. Tharcisse Harerimana, executive secretary for the Burundi NOC, said: "If Locog had paid in advance then we could have come, but we had a meeting with them and they told us it was not possible to have this money."

Paralympic teams from Niger, the Central African Republic, The Gambia and Ghana are also understood to be abandoning pre-Games training in Britain for funding reasons.

A spokeswoman for Locog said: "We've always made it plain we'd pay at the end so it eliminates fraud and accusations of impropriety."

By Emily Dugan & Denise Roland

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Athletes arriving for the London 2012 Games are being told to keep out of the main Olympic Park because it is not yet ready.

With less than two weeks to go to the opening ceremony, the main park remains a construction site, and national teams, who begin arriving in London tomorrow, will have to stay away.

One team chief said yesterday: “We were told the Olympic Park won’t open until the 23rd. This is a week later than what we expected. We were told this is because of some construction issues in the park.

“We were assured they are relatively minor but it has come as a surprise because we had been told for some months now that the park was on time and ready, and it isn’t.’’

The disclosure came after a series of blows to organisers last week over the state of preparations, the most damaging being that troops are being called in after G4S, a private security firm, admitted it could not provide enough guards.

Yesterday its chief executive apologised for the fiasco, which will cost the firm up to £50 million, but admitted that he did not know if his security staff could even speak English.

About 30 teams, comprising about 1,000 athletes, are expected to take up residence in the athletes’ village, next to the Olympic Park, tomorrow with 5,000 expected by the end of the week.

More than 40 team bosses met on Friday at the athletes’ village and some were clearly taken by surprise by the admission that certain areas of the park would remain off limits. The Olympic Park, which hosts athletics, swimming, hockey, cycling and other sports, is still officially a construction site. Some contractors, who had passes valid up until Friday, are having to redo biometric tests to be able to gain access.

Venues, however, are finished, and athletes’ training programmes should not be disrupted.

Sources said the problems had been caused by the wet weather and security issues, but Locog, the London organising committee, said that work in the park was on schedule.

By Jacquelin Magnay and Robert Mendick

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

India's Sports Ministry has warned the country's National Olympic Committee not to help Suresh Kalmadi travel to London 2012 after the disgraced former head of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi was given permission to attend the event.

Kalmadi, currently at the centre of corruption allegations linked to Delhi 2010, was granted permission by a court in New Delhi to leave India and visit London as long as he lodged a bond in case he failed to return.

But India's Sports Minister Ajay Maken has contacted Randhir Singh, secretary general of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), claiming that Kalmadi does not deserve to be allowed to visit the Olympics.

The Ministry claimed that since Kalmadi is embroiled in corruption cases, IOA should not support Kalmadi's trip.

Kalmadi had been the President of the IOA since 1996 but was effectively sacked in April 2011 and replaced by V K Malhotra, the head of the country's archery federation, after a court ordered him to be held in custody on corruption charges.

Kalmadi has been been charged by the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly "illegally" awarding contract to install timing, scoring and results system for the 2010 Commonwealth Games to Swiss Timing.

But he has since been released on bail and, in his his plea to Special CBI Judge Talwant Singh, Kalmadi had said that he is a member of International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Council and Asian Athletics Association and sought permission to come to the Olympics.

Among the evidence that Kalmadi presented as part of his evidence was an invitation from the IAAF Council and details of an airline sent to him by Essar Gabriel, the secretary general of the IAAF.

But the Ministry immediately tried to block the trip.

"Taking into consideration the serious charges levelled against Kalmadi in the matters relating to conduct of the Commonwealth Games 2010 and that the court is still seized of the matter, the Ministry requests that the IOA, on ethical grounds, should not facilitate or sponsor the visit of Kalmadi to London in any manner including air travel, lodging and boarding in London and giving tickets for witnessing the Opening and Closing ceremonies and sports competitions of the London Olympics, 2012," the Ministry said in a letter written by Onkar Kedia, its joint Secretary.

"The IOA should also take up this issue with the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and the IAAF, particularly, in the light of the fact that visit of Kalmadi to London Olympics, before corruption charges against him are cleared by the court, would defy the 'fundamental principles of Olympism'as enshrined in the 'Olympic Charter'."

By Duncan Mackay at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London

Source: www.insidethegames.biz