Vladimir Putin to snub London 2012 Olympics - The Guardian
Vladimir Putin will not be coming to the London Olympics, diplomatic sources have said, in an apparent signal of the Russian president's continuing displeasure and irritation with Britain.
Putin won't attend the London 2012 opening ceremony on 27 July, sources confirmed, despite the fact that Moscow will host the Winter Olympics in 2014 in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Instead, the Russian president is likely to dispatch his prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, to London.
The snub follows Putin's controversial decision earlier this month to boycott the G8 summit hosted by the US president, Barack Obama. Putin claimed he was too busy forming his new government to attend, and sent Medvedev instead. He has accused the US of inciting street protests against him and is unhappy with Washington's missile defence plans in Europe.
Putin has a long list of grievances against Britain. As well as the unresolved Alexander Litvinenko affair – a source of smouldering tension – the Kremlin has been infuriated by calls to ban senior Russians accused of human rights abuses.
In March, a group of backbench MPs voted to refuse visas to officials implicated in the death of Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who died in prison, in 2009. The Foreign Office has so far ignored the non-binding vote and ruled out a Magnitsky ban.
Putin was inaugurated for a third time as president on 7 May. Soon afterwards, he announced that one of Moscow's top foreign policy priorities was to prevent government and other officials from being placed on visa blacklists abroad. Campaigners say visa bans are one of the few effective measures against bureaucrats who enjoy visiting London and other EU capitals and typically hold bank accounts in the west.
On Wednesday, Denis MacShane, the former Labour Europe minister, said he welcomed Putin's decision to avoid the Games. Earlier this year, the MP said Downing Street should make it clear Putin wasn't welcome at the Olympics.
The threat of Magnitsky sanctions has received "phenomenal coverage" in the Russian press, he said, probably contributing to the decision to stay away. "I think Putin doesn't want to come to Britain and face difficult questions," he said.
He went on: "This is further evidence of the turning inwards of Putin towards a more nationalistic authoritarianism and a rejection of western values. He doesn't want to come to a democratic country and realise how unpopular he now is, because of his refusal to uphold the rule of law and justice back in Russia."
Since David Cameron's coalition government took over in 2010 there has been a modest improvement in bilateral relations, with William Hague – who was in Moscow on Monday – keen to promote bilateral trade. But Putin remains incensed about Britain's refusal to extradite leading Kremlin critics based in London, including the fugitive oligarch Boris Berezovsky and the Chechen separatist leader Akhmed Zakayev.
There are also major differences on international affairs, with the west exasperated by Moscow's stalwart support for Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and its spoiling role at the UN security council. Russia, for its part, sees US and UK support for Syria's rebels as part of a western-engineered plot to force regime change in Damascus.
Some 120 heads of state have said they will attend the London 2012 opening ceremony. It will be the largest top-level international gathering in diplomatic history, the Foreign Office believes.
The number far exceeds the 87 leaders who travelled to Beijing in 2008. Several controversial leaders on an EU blacklist will also not be coming; they include Assad, Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, and Belarus's Alexander Lukashenko.
But other authoritarian rulers not on the list are likely to travel to London. They include Uzbekistan's despotic leader, Islam Karimov, and his counterpart from Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. Both visited the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
London 2012 Olympics: Syrian athletes may compete under neutral, five-ring Olympics flag - Daily Telegraph
The Syrian International Olympic Committee member Samih Moudallal told Telegraph Sport from Damascus last week that Assad had never intended to travel to London, even before his EU travel ban and that he had not been formally invited.
The other international president who has not been invited is Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe.
London Olympic Games organisers said they have only invited heads of state who are able to legally travel to the UK, and that precludes any of the 128 persons currently on the EU travel ban list. But anyone able to travel, like Argentinian president Cristina Fernandez, have been formally invited.
"We are in a tough position because if they are allowed into the country it is difficult not to invite them to the Olympic Games," an Olympic insider said.
Moudallal said in an interview before the latest atrocity that Locog had invited Syrian officials, including General Joumaa to attend the Games because they were independent.
"No government officials from Syria have been invited to attend the Olympic Games,"Moudallal said. "The president has not been invited, only the Olympic officials have been invited because they are independent and they have been invited to participate in all activities".
Currently the six to eight Syrian athletes who may qualify for the London Olympics have received support funding direct from IOC headquarters in Lausanne, rather than have the money filtered through the Syrian Olympic Committee.
Weightlifter Soraya Sobh, boxer Wassim Salameh, equestrian Ahmed Saber Hamsho and high jumper Majd Eddin Ghazal have qualified for the Games. Three female athletes are expected to be named on the team, including shooter Raya Zeineddine.
The IOC has yet to suspend the Syrian Olympic Committee, which is may do if it feels there is political pressure on the organisation. If that occurs the Syrian athletes will march and compete under the Olympic flag.
The only other athletes who will compete under the neutral flag are Kuwaiti athletes because their national Olympic committee has been suspended because of political interference.
Meanwhile Joumaa said on Wednesday that nine athletes have qualified for the Games and vowed they will compete "despite all pressures, media war and threats to ban them".
Syria will take part in the Games to reflect the "will of its people and show its firm support for the leadership of the country and its army that is vehemently confronting the conspiracy" against it, according to the president of the Syrian National Olympic Committee.
London Olympics To Serve 14 Million Meals - Huffington Post
LONDON -- From the British staple of fish and chips to African barbecues, athletes and fans won't go hungry at the London Olympics.
Organizers announced plans Wednesday to serve 14 million meals during the games, calling it "the largest peace time catering operation in the world."
The food choice will reflect the "heritage and diversity of British regional products and recipes," while ensuring the menus are ethical and environmentally friendly, the organizing committee said.
The traditional British pie and mash – priced at 8 pounds ($12.50) – is described on a sample menu as "farm assured Scotch Beef with Long Clawson Stilton Pie, Irish mashed potato with Red Tractor Cream and British butter and onion gravy."
A beer will set visitors back 4.20 pounds ($6.50), a bottle of water will cost 1.60 pounds ($2.50) and a bottle of Coke sells for 2.30 pounds ($3.60). A plate of fish and chips will go for 8 pounds ($12.50).
Organizers said food and drink for a family of four should run under 40 pounds ($62).
"We have gone to great lengths to find top quality, tasty food that celebrates the best of Britain," said Paul Deighton, chief executive of organizing committee LOCOG. "We believe that our prices are more than comparable to those found at other major sporting events, which because of their temporary nature are often more expensive than the high street."
LOCOG said international food from every continent will be on offer – "from authentic Asian dishes to African Brai barbecues, Caribbean flavors to tasty Mediterranean dishes and a range of street foods from around the world. `'
A total of 1.2 million meals will be served to athletes in the Olympic Village.
Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Cadbury and Heineken are official sponsors. McDonald's will operate four restaurants on site during the games.
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