BOA calls on IOC to completely rethink ticketing policy for future Olympics

Swimming heats, Aquatics Centre (AP)

The British Olympic Association today called on the International Olympic Committee to completely revamp their ticketing policy for future Games.

London 2012 has become the latest Olympics to be plagued by empty seats in sold-out events, leading to criticism of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

BOA chairman Lord Moynihan insisted this morning it was "time to stop the blame game", urging the IOC to learn from a problem he said had also dogged the previous three Games in Sydney, Athens and Beijing.

Moynihan said: "It's time to stop the blame game and also to recognise that this is such a major and complex issue.

"Moving forwards, this is an issue that I hope the IOC will take a lead on.

"This is an opportunity for the IOC to put in place an overall ticketing policy that can be improved at each Games."

Moynihan added: "This requires huge investment. We're not talking £100-£200million.

"The IOC have now got to take the lead and make sure the investment is in place for a state-of-the-art ticketing policy.

"It is our view that LOCOG are working exceptionally hard to try to sort out as many of the challenges associated with ticketing as possible.

"It's so important for the host country, the host city, to get this right."

The BOA have yet to raise the issue with the IOC but are planning to do at their post-Olympics debrief.

PA