Olympic events kick off across the UK

Olympics supremo Lord Coe yesterday said troops, students and teachers will be asked to fill gaps left in empty stadiums as the first weekend’s events got underway.

It’s very disappointing to see this, particularly as we all tried so hard to get our tickets. It doesn’t help the atmosphere at all.

Gaps in the seating were visible at the swimming, gymnastics, handball, volleyball, badminton and basketball arenas yesterday, although there were record crowds at the rowing events, where 25,000 seats were sold and filled.

Cheaper seats higher in the stands were mostly full but those lower down, which are generally more expensive, were not filled.

The row comes despite the International Olympic Committee vowing to avoid the scandal that saw many stadiums left empty at the Beijing Games four years ago.

One basketball spectator, Jane Smith, from London, said: “It’s very disappointing to see this, particularly as we all tried so hard to get our tickets. It doesn’t help the atmosphere at all.”

Members of the military are being brought in at the last minute, students and teachers from the local area are also being invited and other fans could have their tickets upgraded, organisers said.

Tickets for double sessions, such as those for hockey, basketball, water polo and handball, are also being recycled and re-sold as people leave.

Lord Coe said: “It’s not easy to ask people (in the accredited Olympic family) at the beginning of the Games exactly how, where and when they’re going to be in those seats.

“This morning we looked at gymnastics, we could see there were empty seats in the accredited area.

“So we were able to move troops from – I’m not quite sure whether they were on a rest period or whether it was a transition from work – but they’re sitting there enjoying the gymnastics.

“Yesterday, we got pre-accredited students and teachers from the local boroughs.”

Asked how other tickets would be recycled in the Olympic Park, he said: “It’s very much on the Wimbledon format.

“On handball yesterday, we recycled just about 283 tickets and they went out to adults at £5 and children at £1. Those numbers will increase over the course of the Games.

“It’s sensible. People have gone to see one specific team, but the ticket covers them for the next session, and they leave to do something else.”