UK - OLYMPICS 2012: Olympic rings unveiled on iconic Tower Bridge, Cameron heckled.

Record ID: 331090

  • Title: UK - OLYMPICS 2012: Olympic rings unveiled on iconic Tower Bridge, Cameron heckled.
  • Date: 28th June 2012
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH CULTURE SECRETARY JEREMY HUNT, ON DENIAL OF VISA FOR HEAD OF SYRIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, SAYING: "It's not part of the Olympic spirit to punish athletes for the sins of their political masters but we did decide that given the appalling human rights abuses we've seen in Syria over the past few months then it would not be appropriate to invite General Joumaa. We've made that decision and you know we as a country are very proud of this record - where there's specific evidence of serious abuse then obviously that would impact on whether we decided to accredit people."
  • Embargoed: 13th July 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA5BDP2YWAGC273Z51XRGSQXNZI
  • Story Text: Giant Olympic rings were unveiled on London's iconic Tower Bridge on Wednesday (June 27) to mark one month to go to the Olympic Games.
    London Mayor Boris Johnson and Seb Coe, chairman of organisers LOCOG, watched as a giant set of interlocking Olympic Rings were eased into place on Tower Bridge across the River Thames.
    The rings, 25 metres wide and 11.5 metres tall, are a centrepiece of the "2012 look" that visitors from around the world will experience as they flood into the capital for the Games starting on July 27 and ending on August 12.
    "I think we're in as good a position as any Olympic city has ever been as this stage and that's a great tribute to the organising committee, to everybody who's been involved. Clearly you know it's the final furlong, this is when the horses start to change places and it will make the difference between a good Games and the best Games ever. I'm sure we're going to pull it off," said London's mayor Boris Johnson.
    The Tower Bridge rings, which cost some 260,000 pounds to produce, have been paid for out of a 32 million pound 'Look and Celebration' budget with events scheduled across the capital.
    "Hey you've only got to go out onto the streets to watch the torch relay. I ran with it in Sheffield the other night, extraordinary scenes. And that's been replicated in over 540 different neighbourhoods the length and breadth of this country. Over four million people have now been out on the streets to watch, you know it's extraordinary. We've got our volunteers, they're completing their training, they're giving up hundreds of hours. Millions of people in this country are now involved with the delivery of the Games. Nobody's sitting this dance out," said Seb Coe, chair of organisers LOCOG.
    Not everyone will be allowed to attend the party, however.
    Britain has already refused a visa for the head of Syria's national Olympic Committee, General Mowaffak Joumaa, to travel to London.
    Mowaffak is seen as a close friend of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has been strongly criticised by Britain and other Western and Arab nations for a crackdown on an opposition movement seeking his overthrow.
    "It's not part of the Olympic spirit to punish athletes for the sins of their political masters but we did decide that given the appalling human rights abuses we've seen in Syria over the past few months then it would not be appropriate to invite General Joumaa. We've made that decision and you know we as a country are very proud of this record - where there's specific evidence of serious abuse then obviously that would impact on whether we decided to accredit people," said British Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
    Meanwhile, British Prime Minister David Cameron was heckled as he made a speech on Tuesday (June 26) to Olympic 'gamesmaker' volunteers.
    Footage released on Wednesday shows an unidentified male heckler, who is out of shot, shouting "Shame on you!" at the Prime Minister. Mr Cameron responds by saying "Don't spoil it sir, don't spoil it sir" before continuing with his speech.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Video restrictions: parts of this video may require additional clearances. Please see ‘Business Notes’ for more information.
Register