LOCOG chief Sebastian Coe has advised British athletes to forget about using Twitter during the Olympics.

“Personally I have found quite a close correlation between the number of tweets at competitive times and the level of under-performance,” he said.

“I have found a direct correlation between the amount of activity an athlete enters into on social media and their ultimate performance when it really matters – but that’s for them to figure out.”

Coe has his own Twitter account but says it would have had no interest for him had it been around when he was competing.

“I think it is a great way of communicating – and I live in that world, you couldn’t have four kids 20 and down without knowing the world they live in.

“But from a personal perspective when I was an athlete I just wanted complete and total focus. I knew it was my time and that they don’t come around that often.

“If I was focusing on trying to defend a title I wouldn’t be reading Twitter, I wouldn’t be interested in it, why would I?

“My gut instinct as a competitor is that there are no tomorrows. You are only here once.”

Infront Sports & Media has declared that its new LED systems, trialled during the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany this summer, has been a success. The four new LED systems has upgraded advertising solutions offered to the company’s sports clients. 

Last Monday, the LED boards premiered in a national competition, when FC Bayern Munich achieved a 3-0 victory over Eintracht Braunschweig in the first round of Germany’s DFB Cup. 

According to Infront, the new system provides one of the fullest and most advanced visual brand communication options available on the market. The state-of-the-art technology in hardware and software has been specifically tailored to current requirements and the specific needs of Infront’s clients, including FIFA, the DFB (German Football Association) for the DFB Cup and DFB National Team matches as well as the Bundesliga clubs SC Freiburg, VfB Stuttgart and VfL Wolfsburg.

The new LED advertising boards together with further developed media server software represent the latest technology available on the market with enhanced performance capabilities, particularly for television viewing purposes.

Infront claims that the technology has been designed to work regardless of the camera position and provides better visibility from all angles, including the side-line of the pitch.

Interim President of the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA), V.K Malhotra has sparked a row that could potentially jeopardise the participation of the country’s team at the London 2012 Olympics upon telling the Government that the National Sports Federations (NSFs) will reject a new law proposed by the Sports Ministry.

The proposed bill will limit the age and tenure of the NSF’s office bearers, however, having met with 25 of the 34 NSFs yesterday, May 1, Malhotra said that it was unanimously decided that the NSFs will defend their autonomy.

“All the NSFs present in the meeting have resolved to defend the autonomy of the Federations,” said Malhotra, who is President of the Archery Association of India.

“Most of the Federations were forced or compelled to accept the draconian guidelines and the the Sports Bill. 

“Obstacles are being created for them so that they may not send their teams in international competitions.”

Malhotra claimed the Government wants to have full control over sports at all levels, including at the state and district levels, which is against the Olympic Charter.

The Indian Government have been warned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on numerous occasions, that they are risking a suspension which could jeopardise their participation at London if they try to interfere in the autonomy of the IOA and NSFs.

Malhotra, who took over the President of the IOA last week following the arrest of Suresh Kalmadi on corruption charges, added: “We outrightly reject the bill and the Federations are prepared to accept any other suggestion of the Government which do not interfere in the autonomy of the national federations.” 

IOA secretary general Randhir Singh, who is also a member of the IOC, said that the matter is due to be discussed with the Government at a special meeting tomorrow, saying: “Today, 25 Federations, who will be present in tomorrow’s meeting, participated in the discussion and all the federations are going to oppose the bill.

“The Government is adopting a dictatorial attitude towards the Federations and this is not the proper way to run sports in a democracy.”

Malhotra claimed that the IOA were not against reform but refused to be dicatated to by the Government.

“The Federations have already accepted the principle of transperancy, fair elections, CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) audit, number of players in the management of Federation as per institutional guidelines etc,” he said.

“The Federations are also prepared to accept any other suggestion of the Government, which do not interfere in their autonomy.”

London’s world-renowned Lord’s Cricket Ground will be renovated by Almacantar after the company were selected as the preferred property developer for the job.

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has confirmed that it will enter into a period of exclusive talks with Almacantar over the planned building of apartments on Wellington Road at the ground’s Nursery End. The two failing bis to be awarded the contract were from Capital & Counties and Native Land.

The MCC’s ‘Vision for Lord’s’ will see the capacity of England’s most famous Test cricket ground increased from 29,500 to 37,000, while an indoor cricket school and enhanced conference facilities have also been planned.

MCC secretary and CEO Keith Bradshaw stated:“We have been impressed with the quality of Almacantar’s submission, which demonstrates a high degree of inventive thinking; something entirely appropriate for such an iconic venue as Lord’s.

“We will now work with them through the exclusivity period to shape the emerging proposals for the Nursery Ground, Indoor School and residential opportunities so that we can refine the financial model before presenting back to committees,” he added.

Qatar’s Olympic Committee will continue to bid for Summer Olympics despite losing out in bids for the 2016 and 2020 games, according to reports. 

Qatar Olympic Committee’s general secretary Saoud bin Adulrahman told a sports business conference Thursday, “We will continue on that path and we will continue to bid. Every time we bid, we are listening and learning to see how we can make our bid stronger.

“Our 2020 bid was stronger than our 2016 bid because the IOC (International Olympic Committee) executive board accepted our plan to host the Games in the October window, which didn’t happen the first time”.

Qatar is hosting the 2022 soccer World Cup which it plans to stage in October inside air-conditioned stadiums to cope with the heat, reports Reuters.

Abdulrahman al-Thani said, “we think our next bid (for the Olympics) will be even stronger because of what we have learned from 2020 and we think that each time we bid, we can get closer. We think that if we can keep doing that, one day the dream will happen to host the Olympics in the Middle East”.

He added that the focus was on legacy and avoiding the creation of “white elephants”.

“We have watched countries build large venues and struggle later with what to do with them. Our team has worked backwards, thinking first about how these venues can be of use in the future before planning their use during major sporting events”.

With just over a week until the Olympic Games, drug a giant set of Olympic Rings have been placed in Box Hill, recipe Surrey which is to host the Cycling Road Race competition.

The Rings are set to provide a spectacular backdrop to the Road Race competition and Surrey’s London 2012 celebrations.

The Rings have been installed on the side of the National Trust’s Box Hill. Made of aluminium they are approximately 15m wide by 7m high and will be an exciting feature in the county for the duration of the Olympic Games.  

The Road Race competition will begin on the 28 July and 29 July and spectators at Box Hill are set to get a fantastic view of the events. Labelled the most gruelling stretch of the course – the men’s race will loop Box Hill nine times and the women’s twice.

Seb Coe, therapy LOCOG Chair, said: “The Olympic Rings are an iconic symbol, inspiring athletes and uniting people around the world. To athletes they represent the culmination of thousands of hours of training and reaching the highest level in sport.

“These Rings will excite and inspire local people and visitors to Box Hill.”

Helyn Clack, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Services and the 2012 Games, said: “This proves the Games aren’t just about London. Surrey’s giant Olympic Rings will become one of the most memorable icons of the Games with television cameras sending pictures of it around the world. It will encourage people to visit our beautiful county not just now, but for years to come.”

Andy Wright, National Trust Countryside Manager for the Surrey Hills, added: “We’re so proud to showcase this special place to the world. For us the Rings are a symbol of what an amazing place Box Hill is, what an amazing journey it has been on over the past few years and what a fantastic legacy the Olympics will leave here, particularly for wildlife.”

Surrey is also hosting the Olympic Road Cycling Time Trial event on 1 August.

Nike and The England Rugby Team has unveiled the playing kits for the 2011-12 season.

The two designs which have created talking points with controversy. For the first time the home kit will be 100% white. The change kit will be 100% black design the same as the famous ‘all black’ kits for New Zealand..

Both kits feature Nike technology to give players every advantage on the field, with the playing kit tailored and improved to reflect player feedback from past seasons.

Rugby Football Union chief commercial officer Sophie Goldschmidt said: ‘We are delighted with the new kits which will keep England at the forefront of rugby design and innovation thanks to our long-standing relationship with Nike’.

Marc Van Pappelendam, general manager Nike UK & Ireland added: ‘The classic new white home kit and the contrasting black change kit are our most innovative and bold playing kits created for the England squad’.

‘As the world’s leading sports brand we wanted to inspire the team with our bold designs, whilst ensuring that our innovation in apparel gives players added performance benefits on the pitch to give them the advantage’.

After FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam, challenger to current incumbent Sepp Blatter, was denied access to attend its congress in Miami yesterday, May 3, the 35-strong CONCACAF Confederation delayed its decision on who to back in the June 1 election.

Bin Hammam’s absence was believed to be a major blow for the Qatari with most feeling that Blatter would be successful as he lobbied for votes. However, CONCACAF President Jack Warner said it would be unfair to state an official position without also hearing from the challenger.

Bin Hammam will meet with CONCACAF’s Caribbean representatives in Trinidad on May 10 having failed to secure a visa in time to travel to the USA, in a hastily arranged alternative summit.

Warner has been a key supporter of Blatter in the past but told a news conference immediately after the congress: “It is about fair play.”

He did however, confirm that CONCACAF would stick with its practice of voting as a block at the election and it is now likely that the decision will be made at the FIFA Congress itself just before the vote.

Blatter remained extremely confident of securing the support of the Confederation despite the deferral and described the Americas as his “base”, adding he was “absolutely sure” that CONCACAF would give him their usual strong backing.

However, the election for President is by secret ballot and it is known that a number of CONCACAF members are still frustrated at the decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar instead of the United States. 

The Confederation were made more angry when FIFA’s Executive Committee failed to grant them another berth at the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil with general secretary Chuck Blazer publicly expressed his personal disappointment.

Meanwhile, there was still no official explanation as to why bin Hammam was denied a visa especially when it was assumed he travels on a diplomatic passport.