Olympic Bid Hits Old Trafford Snag

OT Causing Problems?
By Chris O'Brien
June 9 2005

Manchester United's Old Trafford has arisen as a concern for Great Britain's 2012 Olympic bid. It had emerged from a report from the International Olympic Committee that a deal is yet to be concluded about Olympic Games football coming to the Theatre of Dreams.

Old Trafford could play a pivotal role in Great Britain's bid to stage the 2012 Olympics. London are currently second favourites to stage the Games in seven years time, and their plans received a glowing report from the International Olympic Committee. However, the evaluation of the capital's bid included a real surprise about the plans to stage the football tournament at different grounds across the country, with staging agreements not reached with either the Theatre of Dreams or Villa Park.

The well-respected football tournament that is an integral part of the Olympic Games is to be staged at various venues across the country. However, it has been revealed that written guarantees have been received for all the existing proposed venues in London and the rest of the country except two - Old Trafford and Villa Park. The failure to conclude negotiations with two of Britain's biggest football clubs could be a snag in London's attempt to host sport's world showpiece.

"Two of these guarantees were still subject to negotiation (Manchester United and Aston Villa Football Clubs)." said the crucial progress report.

The London bid team hope to have these contracts sorted in the foreseeable future, but delays in sorting out the staging contracts have not helped the bid. Britain has also been criticised for its lack of experience in staging such events, even though the Commonwealth Games held in Manchester were such a tremendous success. However, on the whole, the International Olympic Committee gave London's submission a great report to keep them second favourites behind Paris.