Will The Owners of The Empty Olympics Seat Please Stand Up

Atos, BA, Coca Cola, McDonalds, EDF and Thomas Cook have all denied that they own the empty Olympics seats.

That being the case, who does own these seats, and why have the tickets not been given to someone else who actually wants to see the Games?


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Coke To Pay Tax

Coca-Cola have followed McDonald's, GE and Visa and waived the Olympic tax exemption:

"Coca‑Cola has never intended to, and will not be making, any corporate or income tax exemption claim with respect to any activity concerning our involvement with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

More than 90% of the Coca‑Cola employees working at the Olympic and Paralympic Games are UK nationals. Those from abroad will be paid by their respective home countries.

As one of the longest, continuous sponsors of the Olympic Movement, we are proud that we are able to use our sponsorship to enable millions of people to experience the Games and believe we have a valid role to play. As well as sharing expertise, our financial support will help to stage London 2012. We have also built on our experience as an Olympic and Paralympic sponsor to help LOCOG deliver the most sustainable Games possible."

Apparently they always intended to pay tax, the statement is one merely of clarification.

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Haringey's Olympic Hypocrisy

Haringey Council is gushing forth a veritable tsunami of enthusiasm and support for the forthcoming Olympics (pass the sickbag someone):

"Soon the Olympic Games will take place on our doorstep.

London will be alive with colour, drama and anticipation as visitors from around the world descend on the city to watch athletes from more than 200 countries compete for the greatest sporting prizes.

In Haringey we can all get involved in this once in a lifetime event by lining the streets during the Torch Relay which sees the Olympic Flame transported across the borough by inspirational torchbearers on July 25^th - two days before the opening ceremony.

The council is working with Games organisers to make this a fantastic spectacle and a safe, family occasion to remember forever.

Also that day will be an early evening celebration at Alexandra Palace which is where the Olympic Flame will end its Haringey journey.

During the Games themselves, Haringey will also host many cultural and community events to celebrate the spirit of the Olympics.

But it’s not only about spectacle and sporting excellence: the Games will create a lasting legacy for London and the council will do all it can to share in that legacy and secure benefits for our community.

Some of these will be obvious such as the regeneration of the area around the stadium, which will bring jobs and homes for all. Others may be more subtle, such as attracting worldwide investment and trade, as London is showcased as an efficient and inspiring base for business to flourish.

But the greatest legacy will be if the Olympics fortifies the spirit of our community in these challenging times, providing a beacon of excellence through endeavour."

Haringey Council likes to portray itself as looking after the best interests and welfare of its residents; eg Haringey Council is set to become the first in the UK to limit the number of pizza, burger and kebab shops on its streets, in an attempt to improve the health of its poorest residents.

A draft scheme is in place for the restrictions which would see planning applications for venues considered alongside the need to keep the number of takeaways strictly limited. New outlets may also be banned from within 400 metres of schools, youth clubs and parks.

Aside from the fact that it is not the state's role to stop us eating what we want, I find their dislike of fast food to be at variance with their gushing enthusiasm for the Olympics.

For why?

“The Olympics will be the biggest single catering event in the UK since the Second World War.” 

Who said this?

None other than Jon Woods, the general manager for Coca-Cola UK & Ireland, whose company plans to use the Olympics Park as a test bed for new products and methods.

Additionally, McDonald's (a fast food company) plans to build the world's largest McDonald's at the London Olympics Games site in Stratford. The two storey 3,000 sq metre leviathan will seat up to 1,500 people, and will be one of the four McDonald's restaurants built in and near the Olympics Park.

Given Haringey Council's antipathy towards fast food, will it be urging its residents who attend the Olympics to boycott the catering?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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The Real Legacy of The Games

McDonald's plans to build the world's largest McDonald's at the London Olympics Games site in Stratford.

The two storey 3,000 sq metre leviathan will seat up to 1,500 people, and will be one of the four McDonald's restaurants built in and near the Olympics park.

Now that's the true "legacy" of the games.

Makes you proud to be British doesn't it?!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Food Matters

It seems that the organisers of the London Olympics, with their enthusiasm for McDonald's and Coke, have neglected to mention London's largest fresh produce wholesale market (New Spitalfields Market) in food provision proposals.

This is somewhat ironic as the catering for the Olympics is, so we are told, meant to showcase British produce (does that include the 20% of food provided by McDonald's etc?).

The Fresh Produce Journal quotes Spitalfields' business development manager, Tim Williams:

"Despite our many attempts to connect with the relevant authorities, they have completely ignored the existence of the largest wholesale market in the UK, which is sited half a mile from the main Olympic Park, Olympic Village and press and broadcast centres."

Regrettably money and sponsorship is the driving force behind these games, vegetables simply are not as "exciting" as fizzy sugared water and processed meat products.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Food Glorious Food!

London Olympics organisers have promised that food and drink at London's Olympics will be British, "wherever possible".

However, 20% of that "Britishness" apparently includes products supplied by McDonald's, Coca-Cola and Cadbury.

As Chief executive Paul Deighton told the BBC, the Games would create a "great legacy for the catering industry in this country".

LOL!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Food Fit For Athletes

In keeping with the government's promise that there will be a legacy, once the "hoopla" over the London 2012 Olympics has long since passed away, it can be confirmed that there will at least be "food" and "health" legacy that will doubtless imprint itself into the minds of all of those who attend that games.

It seems that McDonald's, the company that gave us Ronald MacDonald and the "Big Mac", may well become the only branded restaurant at Britain's Olympic venues.

Other food chains, including British and Indian outlets, have been told they will not be able to sell their products at the Olympic sites, without removing labels or changing packaging; restaurants/cafes already at sites such as the ExCel Centre have been told to "hop it" whilst the Games are on, to make room for the "anointed purveyor of fries and burgers".

It's a done deal, apparently.

Meanwhile Coca-Cola has secured exclusive rights to selling non-alcoholic drinks, including tea and coffee within the Olympic venues.

What is it doctors and health experts say about fizzy drinks loaded with sugar, and fat laden fries?

Can someone remind me?

By all means serve McDonald's, but do not exclude others from the Games.

What a legacy!

What a con by Labour and the Olympics organisers!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Tess Jowell Puts Her Foot In It - Again!

The hapless and hopeless Tessa Jowell has put her put into again, by lecturing so called "junk food" sponsors of the Olympics 2012.

Jowell, who spoke at a local government conference, said that companies such as Coca-Cola, Cadbury and McDonald's "need to be made aware" of increasing concern about healthy eating and childhood obesity.

The Guardian quotes her:

"[They] need to be made aware of the increasing concern about child obesity and the increasing possibility of their leadership to address the eating habits and sedentary way of life by encouraging exercise."

That may well be true.

However, if Jowell and the government are so concerned about "junk food" and the companies that sell it why are they so keen to receive sponsorship from these companies for the London Olympics?

Could it be the £50M funding shortfall in the £12BN plus Games?

Given that companies such as MacDonalds and Cadbury are mainly purveyors of burgers and chocolate, what exactly does she expect them to do - sell salads only?

When you sup with "the devil" use a long spoon.

For good measure, Jowell then said:

"There is no more money and as I have said before we are on time and on budget."

Errmmm...no you are not!

Thee original budget was around £3BN, it now stands at £12BN (including running costs) how can she possibly claim that the Games are on budget?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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