'Year to Go' landmark approaches

The great ticket issue has resolved itself into two apparently incompatible positions. On the one hand, much of the sporting world has looked on in admiration as London 2012 has broken records for selling out most sports more than a year ahead of the event.

On the other, many in the UK still feel bitterly disappointed that they missed out and critics will never be reconciled to the system that was chosen.

I understand that some of the polling about public approval for the London Olympics has had a blip downwards that reflects the ticketing debate - though it's a relatively shallow dip rather than signs of a major crisis.

And one statistic that needs to be borne in mind is that although two million people in the UK tried to buy tickets, 50-odd million didn't.

Trafalgar Square will once again be a key spot for celebrations with a year to go to the Games. Photo: PA

So while recognising there's no antidote for the people within the two million who are still ticketless, the London organisers have no option other than to put their best foot forward - and focus on the next landmarks in the journey to 2012.

Within touching distance is one of the biggest: "One Year To Go" on Wednesday 27 July.

We can now share some of what's being planned by the BBC and externally.

Our key TV and radio programmes will be in the Olympic Park from breakfast-time on the 27th to see the latest state of construction and talk to the decision-makers, but the main attention at lunchtime will be the Aquatics Centre - which we'll see from the inside with water in the pools for the first time.

Then in the early evening, Trafalgar Square comes into play with an event being organised by the GLA in association with Locog.

There will be a special programme on BBC One (broadcast globally by BBC World News) from 7 to 7.30pm which will bring together the central London location with the Aquatics Centre, and we can expect four main elements:

• The president of the IOC, Jacques Rogge, will invite the world to send its teams of athletes to London in a year's time
• World champion Tom Daley will perform the inaugural dive into the Olympic pool
• There will also be a race at the Aquatics venue
• The design of the London 2012 medals will be revealed

It's more than six years since London knew it would host the 2012 Games. At that time there was just a contaminated industrial wasteland in Stratford where the Olympic Park has been built.

The most intense period of all is about to begin, but what we'll be seeing later this month with 2012 hopefuls in real venues - casting an eye at the medals they could win - is just how close we are to the OIympics coming to town.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/rogermosey/2011/07/year_to_go_landmark_approaches.html

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