West Ham feel they have been cleared of any wrongdoing after a private investigation was made into any preference they were giving in winning the Olympic Stadium bid.

The enquiry was made after it was revealed that Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) employee Dionne Knight had worked for the Hammers during the bidding process.

The OPLC will make their own enquiry which could halt West Hams plan to move into the stadium and still could leave the door open for Tottenham to challenge for its occupancy. But West Ham are still confident in their findings.

A statement from Upton Park claims the findings from the inquiry, conducted by barristers Blackstone Chambers, ‘completely exonerate’ the club.

The statement read: ‘(The inquiry) concluded firmly that Ms Knight’s work had in no way affected the integrity of the joint West Ham United-London Borough of Newham bid which was approved by the Olympic Park Legacy Company.

‘The findings – which completely exonerate the club over the matter and showed it acted lawfully at all times – came after the consideration of all relevant correspondence and documentation, along with statements from all relevant officials.

‘The report found no confidential information was passed by the OPLC to West Ham United through Ms Knight. Similarly, it found that no person at the club has at any point considered themselves to have an improper source of information or influence within the OPLC.’

Ms Knight was suspended by the OPLC after admitting she had worked as a paid consultant for West Ham. 

London 2012 Olympic organisers (LOCOG) have revealed their intention to investigate Honda’s new digital advertising campaign to decide whether or not it has breached Olympic rules on advertising.

The campaign features British Olympic athletes Ed Clancy, Beth Tweddle, Goldie Sayers and Jazmin Carlin, to showcase their talents in the run up to the London 2012 Games.

However, Honda has no official commercial ties with the Games and BMW is the official car sponsor, leading to allegations that Honda is trying to tap into the publicity of the Olympic Games for its own benefit. 

A spokesperson for Honda argued: “We have had a relationship with Ed Clancy for a couple of years. And we have an existing relationship with Beth Tweddle.

“The other relationships spawned from these. We have not been hunting out Olympians. This is a long-term campaign.”

According to International Olympic Committee (IOC) guidelines, ambush marketing is considered as, “all intentional and unintentional attempts to create a false or unauthorised commercial association with the Olympic Movements or the Olympic Games.” 

“This includes a non-partner company’s use of creative means to generate a false association with the Olympic games.”

Cash-strapped Canadian city Toronto has confirmed that it will not be submitting a bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games.

The Canadian Olympic Committee announced the news. Toronto Mayor Rob Ford rejected the idea as Councillor Doug Ford, his brother, explained to the press that the city cannot afford to host the event as it attempts to overcome a US$786 million budget shortfall.

The administration of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford already has rejected the idea of going after the world’s biggest sporting event. Councillor Doug Ford, the mayor’s brother, said the city can’t afford it while it works to beat down a $774 million budget shortfall. He added that a bid would have sent the wrong message to taxpayers in a period of budget cuts.

He said: “We can’t, the feds can’t, the province can’t. It’s just not the time. Everyone would love it but financially no one is in the shape to take it.

“I just don’t think the money is there in all three levels of government. I don’t even know what country is in the shape right now to take it.”

This would have been Toronto’s third attempt to host the games. In the last two instances, the city lost to Atlanta in 1996 and Beijing in 2008.

 

The head of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Co-ordination Commission, Nawal El Moutawakel, has praised Rio de Janeiro for making “remarkable progress” in its preparations to host the 2016 Olympic Games.

Speaking after a three-day inspection of the Brazilian city, she cited the signing of an agreement for construction of the Olympic Village as a key symbol of progress and added that Rio had made significant steps since the Co-ordination Commission’s first trip to Rio.

In a statement, the IOC also praised the ‘steady progress’ being made and the pace of infrastructure work, as well as the government’s acceleration of airport construction projects, which are in a race against time to be ready for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

El Moutawakel stated: “Over a year ago, at the end of our first visit, I said that time was passing by and we had no time to waste. Today I am happy to say that Rio 2016 and its partners have taken those words seriously and made remarkable progress.”

El Moutawakel added that “infrastructure and civil works are moving forward” and noted that the Brazilian government “has made airports a priority issue and (this) seems to be moving in the right direction”.

El Moutawakel also said that railway and subway expansion “is moving forward and at full speed” although she highlighted the IOC’s concern about the relocation of residents from areas where infrastructure projects or sports facilities are being constructed, and added: “This is an issue that we are obviously watching closely.”

Carlos Arthur Nuzman, president of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee, said to the IOC delegation: “You have trusted us to hold a memorable Games. I guarantee that we will honour your vote of confidence and make a historic contribution to the Olympic movement.”

Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes stated his confidence in the city’s preparations for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games ahead of the latest visit of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Coordination Commission, led Nawal El Moutawakel yesterday, June 7.

During the three-day visit, the Commission will meet members of the Organising Committee and representatives from the Federal, State and City Governments, hold workshops and visit a number of the proposed sites.

The Mayor of Rio remains highly confident that they will be happy with what they find in the city, stating: “Once again, we will show that things are going very well.

“We are about a year in advance of the schedule imposed by the IOC. Our expectation is that, even with possible problems that may arise, we are on schedule.

“We have two BRT (bus rapid transport system) and subways running, work on the Olympic Village should begin by the end of the year.”

The Commission, which also includes other high-profile IOC members Alex Gilady, Alexander Popov, Beatrice Allen, C K Wu, Gunilla Lindberg, John Coates, Sergey Bubka and Patrick Hickey, is currently visiting Rio once a year but will double its number of visits following London 2012.

Paes added: “The visits helps the Government and Organising Committee to prepare properly for 2016. We welcome them.”

SiriusXM will broadcast the 2014 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Semifinals and National Championship game live from M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD, this Saturday, May 24, and Monday, May 26.

Live play-by-play of every matchup will be available to subscribers on SiriusXM College Sports Nation, channel 91, on satellite radios, on the SiriusXM Internet Radio App and online at SiriusXM.com.

On Saturday, top-seeded Duke University faces off against #5 seed University of Denver in the first game starting at 12:45 pm ET.  In the second semifinal game to follow, #6 seed University of Notre Dame plays #7 seed University of Maryland.  The national championship game will be played on Monday at 12:45 pm ET.

“I was fortunate to have played in three national championship games while I was at Johns Hopkins and the excitement my teammates and I felt being a part of that event was incredible,” said Rabil.  “I’m looking forward to being back in my home state of Maryland to cover the competition for SiriusXM and bring our listeners closer to the games.  All four semifinalists are experienced “Final Four” teams and are playing at the top of their game, and it will be a lot of fun to see how these matchups unfold.”

“As we approach the finale of another great college lacrosse season we’re pleased to give our subscribers live access to the semifinals and national championship game, as well as analysis from a team of experts who know the game as well as or better than anyone,” said Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM’s President and Chief Content Officer.  “Paul Rabil and Paul Carcaterra, both national championship winners themselves, are able to deliver the kind of insight into this event that few others can.”