Sec Gen of FIBA Hails Basketball Role at London 2012

Whether it is signing up for tickets, becoming a ‘London 2012 Games Maker’ volunteer or a ‘London Ambassador’, now is the time to start thinking about how to make the most of the summer of 2012.

Patrick Baumann, Secretary-General of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) & International Olympic Committee member, has hailed the role basketball will play in the 2012 Olympics:

He said: “With two years to go the 2012 Olympics, basketball will be the sport to watch out for. With 450 million players and fans it’s the second biggest sport in the world and more people than ever will follow the upcoming FIBA World Championship in August and September.

“Basketball transcends gender and country. It’s followed by men and women all over the world and will be one of the most exciting events in the 2012 Olympics.”

“The Olympics celebrates the purity in sport and recognises outstanding global talent. This is exactly what basketball is all about. It has one of the cleanest images in sport and is played by some of the best athletes on the planet. He continued, Basketball is a force for social good. It can enthuse and energise youngsters and help inner city communities. These unique attributes are imperative and will be on display in the Olympics.”

“Basketball is the perfect partner for sponsors looking for new and innovative ways to align their brand. The clean image of the sport and its unique and globally diverse fan base is unrivalled.”

Yesterday also mark the opening of the London 2012 Volunteer Programme, seeking to recruit up to 70,000 volunteers or ‘London 2012 Games Makers’. Pre-identified people wanting to become a London 2012 Games Maker can apply for specialist positions such as doctors, anti-doping personnel and scoreboard operators from today.

Those interested in the more numerous general volunteering positions can go to www.london2012.com/volunteering and find everything they need to help them decide if they have what it takes to be a London 2012 Games Maker. Applications for the generalist roles – which include ticket checking, uniform distribution and staffing helpdesks and information points – will open on 15 September 2010. The programme’s Presenting Partner is McDonald’s.

From today people can also sign up to be a London Ambassador, to help guide the millions of visitors who will travel to London for the Games get around and enjoy a truly memorable stay in the capital. The scheme, devised by the Mayor of London, aims to recruit 8,000 London Ambassadors who will be located at key points across the city – including transport hubs, outside Games venues, and at popular visitor spots. They will be the welcoming face of the capital, providing much-needed information on what to see and do, where to stay and how to get there.

Tickets for London 2012 go on sale in the spring of 2011, but people can register their interest now. Over 1.4 million people have already registered their details on www.tickets.london2012.com and they will be in the best position to apply for tickets when the ballot process opens next year. Further details on pricing and other initiatives will be announced this autumn.

London 2012 also opened its flagship shop at St Pancras International in London, which will sell a wide range of London 2012 merchandise – including, for the first time, merchandise relating to London 2012’s mascots Wenlock and Mandeville.

With London 2012’s education programme ‘Get Set’ now reaching over 14,000 schools throughout the country; Cultural Olympiad projects up and running – culminating in the London 2012 Festival, a twelve week festival in the summer of 2012 itself; plus over 1,000 ‘Open Weekend’ events held last weekend, there are London 2012 projects and initiatives happening all over the country, giving the UK public plenty of scope to plan how to get involved.

To celebrate the milestone, athletes and young people joined Organising Committee Chair Seb Coe, Olympic Delivery Authority Chairman John Armitt, Olympics Minister Rt Hon Hugh Robertson MP and Mayor of London Boris Johnson on the train from St Pancras International to Stratford International.

They took a tour of the Olympic Park and, for the first time, stepped inside venues to witness first-hand the progress being made in construction, which is on time and on budget. They also walked across the main spectator bridge which will be the ‘front door’ to the Olympic Park in 2012, joined by 70 Visa Team 2012 athletes. Other highlights of the day included:

– Young athletes joining multi-Olympic medallist Michael Johnson running inside the Olympic Stadium on a specially laid track

– Gold medal winning cyclist Sir Chris Hoy welcoming visitors to the Velodrome by cycling inside for the first time

– Former NBA star John Amaechi and young basketball players shooting the first hoop inside the Basketball Arena

LOCOG Chair Seb Coe commented: ‘There are two years to go until the Olympic Games begin and we want everyone to start planning their once-in-a-lifetime experience in 2012. We are well on track – the venues are nearing completion and our plans are coming together.

‘Now it’s the public’s turn. How will you spend the summer of 2012? Whether it’s buying a ticket, becoming a volunteer, being part of our education or culture programmes – there are hundreds of ways you can get involved. Don’t wait – to ensure you don’t miss out, start planning your Games now.’

ODA Chairman John Armitt said: ‘With two years to go the venues and infrastructure needed for the Games and in legacy are on schedule and within budget. The venues will be ready next summer – a year ahead of the Games – to allow time for test events.

‘The skyline of east London has changed dramatically over the last few months as the venues take shape. It is a sign of the strong progress we have made that we are able to stage these events on the site today and give the public a glimpse inside the world class new sports venues being built for the Games. There is still a long way to go and we are not complacent but the foundations for success are now in place.’

Rt Hon Hugh Robertson MP, Minister for Sport and the Olympics said: ‘Two years to go and London 2012 is in excellent shape. The construction phase is 70 per cent complete; LOCOG has attracted an unprecedented level of commercial sponsorship and has captured the hearts and minds of children across the UK with the launch of mascots Wenlock and Mandeville; the Olympic Park Legacy Company is talking to key investors about securing a future for the Park; and, we are making real strides in developing a meaningful sports legacy which will be announcing in the autumn.