London 2012: empty Olympic seats spark public angerJuly 29, 2012 - 16:40 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Games chief Jacques Rogge says bosses are "getting to grips" with the issue. Empty seats were also seen at Wimbledon, the Basketball Arena, the volleyball at Earl's Court and the gymnastics at the O2. While areas of seating where tickets have been sold to the public appear to be packed, at some venues "Olympic family" areas - often with the best views - have been emptier. Mark Adams, the spokesman for International Olympic Committee chairman Jacques Rogge, said: "You have to allow for a small area of tickets and it is a small area of tickets and doesn't happen at all venues. "The sport needs some tickets; the federation needs those for their officials to be in there. We give tickets to the athletes and their families, and journalists, as well, need some tickets." "They need some flexibility and, unfortunately, that leads, sometimes, to those areas and those seats being empty but we are really getting to grips with this." Top stories Armenian gymnast, Olympic bronze medalist Artur Davtyan has reached the finals of the World Cup. Gor Manvelyan has denied reports alleging that he has expressed a desire to one day play for the French national team. Roma midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is not considering FC Spartak Moscow as his next haven, according to fresh reports. 10 Armenian lifters will compete in the 2021 World Championships scheduled to be held from 7 to 17 December in Tashkent. Partner news | Russia provides info about arrested Armenian ex-MP Russian law enforcement agencies have provided information about the arrest of Tigran Urikhanyan. Lemkin Institue slams Pashinyan's “cryptic engagement with Genocide denial” The Lemkin Institute is alarmed over Pashinyan’s statements “questioning Armenia's legal basis to pursue justice against Turkey”. 41 detained as antigovernment protests continue in Yerevan 41 people were detained in Yerevan as people demanding Pashinian’s resignation stage campaigns of civil disobedience. Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 10 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. |