LONDON 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe has admitted the recent inclement weather has led to serious challenges, with emergency measures being taken at waterlogged venues, including Greenwich park and Eton Dorney.

Organisers have also admitted defeat in their attempt to sell all 8.8 million tickets for the Games, removing 500,000 football tickets from sale and cordoning off areas inside grounds outside London for some matches.

The weather has proved most challenging at more rural venues such as Greenwich park and Eton Dorney, where tracks are being laid for vehicles and spectators advised to wear wellies and wet weather gear. “This is proving quite a challenge to us. We’ve got waterlogged sites, we’ve got resurfacing taking place, particularly in some of our more sensitive sites, our more rural sites,” said Coe.

“At Greenwich park and Eton Dorney we’re laying down a trackway and surfaces for spectators and vehicles, now and through the Games. We’re building additional shelters for our workforce.”

It was revealed last week contingency plans were being drawn up to deal with the incessant rain, in case it continued throughout the Games. Coe said events could be rescheduled if necessary.

“We have got the contingency of extra days available to us in rowing and equestrian sport as a last resort,” said Coe.

Although the weather remains mixed, there is hope that the latest 10-day forecast from the Met Office in Britain will provide some better news.

Providing an update on the number of tickets remaining, Coe said 500,000 of the original total of 2.5m football tickets would not be put on sale and the corresponding areas of stadiums cordoned off.

On top of that, there are a further 500,000 football tickets that will go on sale in the 10 days before the Games and 150,000 that have been channelled through the Ticketshare scheme.

Through Ticketshare, a levy is placed on tickets bought by sponsors that is then used to buy tickets for schoolchildren. But the London organising committee said the 500,000 tickets that will now not be sold could not be given away at this late stage.

All stadiums apart from Wembley will be affected. These include Cardiff’s Millennium stadium, Hampden Park in Glasgow, the City of Coventry stadium, St James’ Park and Old Trafford.

While Team GB’s matches are understood to have sold well, matches involving other nations have proved more challenging.

Coe said about 37,000 tickets had been sold for the opening sporting action of the Games – Team GB women’s football team taking on New Zealand at the Millennium stadium next Wednesday.

There are 50,000 non-football tickets on sale and a further 250,000 will be back on the market due to overseas returns and contingency tickets made available once venue plans are finalised. They include tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies, beach volleyball and volleyball.

Coe also confirmed that Locog had abandoned plans to operate public box offices to sell the remaining tickets. Instead, spectators will be advised to buy online and pick up their tickets from a booth in Westfield shopping centre.

He said 733 athletes from 96 countries had checked into the Olympic Village and many had praised the facilities on offer. “But for a missed turning and a couple of tweets, we’re in pretty good shape,” he said.

Guardian Service

ROGGE SAYS RAIN WON’T DAMPEN ENJOYMENT

IOC president Jacques Rogge claims even the great British weather will not dampen the enjoyment of the London 2012 Olympics. Rogge said he was not worried about the poor summer weather having an adverse effect.

He said: “I would definitely prefer the Games in brilliant sunshine rather than rain but it is nothing fundamental.

“There might be some issues for Wimbledon and the tennis as most of the matches are not under the roof. That might need some rescheduling but Wimbledon has great experience in that. It might influence the sprint competitions a little bit if it is cool and humid but it is nothing fundamental.”