Corporate ticket deal for Olympics slammed by Liberal Democrats

5.55.38pm GMT Fri 22nd Jan 2010

Liberal Democrat campaigners across London are disappointed in the decision by the organisers of the 2012 Olympics to sell many of the best tickets to corporate hospitality companies.

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Dee Doocey, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Olympics Spokesperson, commenting on revelations that 130,000 of the most highly sought-after tickets for the 2012 Games to two corporate hospitality companies said:

"This news is a complete betrayal of the promises made to Londoners over the 2012 Games. Secretive ticket deals made exclusively with the rich and influential undermine the very spirit of the Olympic Games.

"Londoners are paying £625 million to stage these Games. It is disgraceful that ordinary sports fans are relegated to the back of the queue for tickets to a once in a lifetime sporting extravaganza."

Leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Tower Hamlets Council, Cllr Stephanie Eaton added: "As one of the host Boroughs we were expecting that local people would have a fair chance to see some of the events at the Olympic games. Lots of people in Tower Hamlets will not be able to afford the prices charged by corporate hospitality companies so we are sad that this deal means fewer Tower Hamlets residents will be able to see the games happening in our Borough."