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Several design tweaks to London’s 2012 Olympic Park have been sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), organisers said today.
In all, four design changes have been approved, including moving the fencing competition out of the main Olympic Park into a nearby exhibition centre adjacent to the River Thames.
Fencing was originally earmarked for a temporary venue within the 2.5 square kilometre park but will now move to the ExCel Centre that will also host boxing, judo, table tennis, taekwondo, weightlifting and wrestling.
The other changes involve moving the temporary basketball venue and the handball arena and situating the BMX cycling circuit next to the Velodrome.
London organising committee chairman Sebastian Coe said the changes were designed to ensure the best legacy.
“We have always said that our intention was to build truly sustainable venues which will provide a strong elite and community use legacy for sport for generations to come, long after the final race has been run in 2012,” he said in a LOCOG statement on Thursday.
“These small changes to our temporary venue locations in the Park are designed to maximise the sporting legacy we leave behind as well as optimise the Games time experience for athletes and spectators.”
London’s preparations received a glowing report from the International Olympic Committee’s Co-ordination commission last month when they toured the 2012 site.
Construction of the Olympic Stadium began last month, three months ahead of schedule, while work on the Olympic Village got underway this week.