Olympic Games

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games chief John Furlong (L) receives the Olympic Flame from the President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee Spiros Kapralos during the flame handing over ceremony for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at the Panathenian marble stadium in Athens on October 29, 2009.

Indian Olympic Games and World Championsip bronze medallist boxer, Vijender Kumar (R) and England cricket bowler Monty Panesar are pictured in the grounds of Buckingham Palace in central London, on October 29, 2009. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Indian President Pratibha Patil started the build-up to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi as they launched the baton relay Thursday at Buckingham Palace. British and Indian sports stars carried the baton through central London on the start of its journey to the Indian capital.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: A general view of a canal near the Stratford Olympic park development on October 30, 2009 in London, England. Many of the canals and locks surrounding the Olympic site have been utilised for the transport of materials to the site. Tomorrow marks a thousand days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: A general view along part of a canal near the Stratford Olympic park development on October 30, 2009 in London, England. Many of the canals and locks surrounding the Olympic site have been utilised for the transport of materials to the site. Tomorrow marks a thousand days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: A general view of the aquatics centre at the Olympic site in Stratford on October 30, 2009 in London, England. Tomorrow marks a thousand days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: A general view of the aquatics centre in front of the main stadium at the Olympic site in Stratford on October 30, 2009 in London, England. Tomorrow marks a thousand days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: A general view of the Olympic site in Stratford on October 30, 2009 in London, England. Tomorrow marks a thousand days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: A general view of the Olympic site in Stratford on October 30, 2009 in London, England. Tomorrow marks a thousand days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: A general view of the Olympic site in Stratford on October 30, 2009 in London, England. Tomorrow marks a thousand days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: A general view of the Olympic site in Stratford on October 30, 2009 in London, England. Tomorrow marks a thousand days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: A general view of the Olympic site in Stratford on October 30, 2009 in London, England. Tomorrow marks a thousand days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: A general view of the Olympic site in Stratford on October 30, 2009 in London, England. Tomorrow marks a thousand days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: A general view of the Olympic site in Stratford on October 30, 2009 in London, England. Tomorrow marks a thousand days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: A general view of the Olympic site in Stratford on October 30, 2009 in London, England. Tomorrow marks a thousand days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: A general view of the Olympic site in Stratford on October 30, 2009 in London, England. Tomorrow marks a thousand days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: Work continues at the Olympic site in Stratford on October 30, 2009 in London, England. Tomorrow marks a thousand days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: Work continues at the Olympic site in Stratford on October 30, 2009 in London, England. Tomorrow marks a thousand days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: Work continues at the Olympic site in Stratford on October 30, 2009 in London, England. Tomorrow marks a thousand days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: Work continues at the Olympic site in Stratford on October 30, 2009 in London, England. Tomorrow marks a thousand days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: A general view of the Olympic site in Stratford on October 30, 2009 in London, England. Tomorrow marks a thousand days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: Work continues at the Olympic site in Stratford on October 30, 2009 in London, England. Tomorrow marks a thousand days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Police stand watch as the concrete posts used to block the avenue to protest against the city violence are removed, in front of the Nelson Mandela shantytown, outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, October 28, 2009. Rio de Janeiro must triple its security outlay ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games, especially to crack down on rampant violence spread by drug gangs, Justice Minister Tarso Genro said Tuesday. His assessment, given at a meeting with Rio authorities, came days after bloody clashes between slum gangs and police left 45 people dead and saw a police helicopter shot down.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Fireworks go off from the BT Tower to mark 1000 days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games on October 31, 2009 in London, England. Chief of the London 2012 bid, Lord Coe has said that the capital's Olympic preparations are ahead of schedule at the 1000 days to go milestone.

Canadian Governor General Michaelle Jean (R) and Vancouver 2010 winter Olympic Games chief John Furlong attend the Olympic flame handing over ceremony for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at the Panathenean marble stadium in Athens on October 29, 2009.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 12: Dr Peter Braun, Medical Director for the 2010 Australian Olympic Winter Team holds a needle as he prepares to give snowboarder Joh Shaw a vaccination as Shaw takes part in a vaccination program in the lead up to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games at the Victorian Institute of Sport on November 12, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 12: Snowboarder Joh Shaw poses for a photograph as she takes part in a vaccination program in the lead up to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games at the Victorian Institute of Sport on November 12, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 12: Dr Peter Braun, Medical Director for the 2010 Australian Olympic Winter Team holds a needle as he prepares to give snowboarder Joh Shaw a vaccination as Shaw takes part in a vaccination program in the lead up to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games at the Victorian Institute of Sport on November 12, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 12: Snowboarder Joh Shaw looks on as she takes part in a vaccination program in the lead up to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games at the Victorian Institute of Sport on November 12, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Fireworks go off from the BT Tower to mark 1000 days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games on October 31, 2009 in London, England. Chief of the London 2012 bid, Lord Coe has said that the capital's Olympic preparations are ahead of schedule at the 1000 days to go milestone.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Fireworks go off from the BT Tower to mark 1000 days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games on October 31, 2009 in London, England. Chief of the London 2012 bid, Lord Coe has said that the capital's Olympic preparations are ahead of schedule at the 1000 days to go milestone.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Fireworks go off from the BT Tower to mark 1000 days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games on October 31, 2009 in London, England. Chief of the London 2012 bid, Lord Coe has said that the capital's Olympic preparations are ahead of schedule at the 1000 days to go milestone.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 12: Snowboarder Joh Shaw looks on as she takes part in a vaccination program in the lead up to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games at the Victorian Institute of Sport on November 12, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia.

An activist from the animal rights organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) poses with her body painted with the colours of the Canadian flag holding a sign during a demonstration at the Canadian embassy in Bangkok on October 26, 2009. The demonstration was held as part of a PETA campaign to draw attention to and condemn Canada's practices of commercial seal slaughter during the run-up to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.

Police stand watch as the concrete obstacles used to block the avenue to protest against the violence are removed, in front of the Nelson Mandela shantytown, outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, October 28, 2009. Rio de Janeiro must triple its security outlay ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games, especially to crack down on rampant violence spread by drug gangs, Justice Minister Tarso Genro said Tuesday. His assessment, given at a meeting with Rio authorities, came days after bloody clashes between slum gangs and police left 45 people dead and saw a police helicopter shot down.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Fireworks go off from the BT Tower to mark 1000 days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games on October 31, 2009 in London, England. Chief of the London 2012 bid, Lord Coe has said that the capital's Olympic preparations are ahead of schedule at the 1000 days to go milestone.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 05: The makeshift home of homeless man Peter James Paul Millhouse, also known as Jim Mhiyles or Jimmy Two Hats, is seen following his arrest on rape charges, near Bondi Beach on November 5, 2009 in Sydney, Australia. Millhouse has been living in the camp illegally since the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, despite Waverley Council's initial attempts at evicting him. He is charged with luring a girl down to his camp to 'feed the wild birds' before allegedly raping her.

VANCOUVER, CANADA - NOVEMBER 23: 2010 Olympic Games mascot Quatchi skates during the official opening of the GE Ice Plaza in Vancouver, Canada November 23, 2009. The GE Ice Plaza will be the centre of holiday activities in the heart of Vancouver prior to the 2010 Winter Games, and home to performances and events during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games begin on February 12, 2010.

An activist from the animal rights organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) poses with her body painted with the colours of the Canadian flag holding a sign during a demonstration at the Canadian embassy in Bangkok on October 26, 2009. The demonstration was held as part of a PETA campaign to draw attention to and condemn Canada's practices of commercial seal slaughter during the run-up to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.

An activist from the animal rights organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) poses with her body painted with the colours of the Canadian flag holding a sign during a demonstration at the Canadian embassy in Bangkok on October 26, 2009. The demonstration was held as part of a PETA campaign to draw attention to and condemn Canada's practices of commercial seal slaughter during the run-up to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.

LONDON - OCTOBER 29: Indian Olympic Games and World Championsip bronze medallist boxer, Vijender Kumar (R) and England cricket bowler Monty Panesar attend the launch of the XIX Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay for the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, outside Buckingham Palace October 29, 2009 in London. The Indian President, Prathibha Devi Singh Patil, and her husband, Dr Devisingh Ramsingh Shekhawat, are concluding their three-day state visit to the UK during which they have stayed in Windsor Castle.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Fireworks go off from the BT Tower to mark 1000 days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games on October 31, 2009 in London, England. Chief of the London 2012 bid, Lord Coe has said that the capital's Olympic preparations are ahead of schedule at the 1000 days to go milestone.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 12: Snowboarder Joh Shaw (L) receives a vaccination from Dr Peter Braun, Medical Director for the 2010 Australian Olympic Winter Team as Shaw takes part in a vaccination program in the lead up to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games at the Victorian Institute of Sport on November 12, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia.

A police officer stands near children from the neighborhood as concrete posts used to block the avenue to protest against the city violence are removed, in front of the Nelson Mandela shantytown, outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, October 28, 2009. Rio de Janeiro must triple its security outlay ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games, especially to crack down on rampant violence spread by drug gangs, Justice Minister Tarso Genro said Tuesday. His assessment, given at a meeting with Rio authorities, came days after bloody clashes between slum gangs and police left 45 people dead and saw a police helicopter shot down.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Fireworks go off from the BT Tower to mark 1000 days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games on October 31, 2009 in London, England. Chief of the London 2012 bid, Lord Coe has said that the capital's Olympic preparations are ahead of schedule at the 1000 days to go milestone.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 05: The makeshift home of homeless man Peter James Paul Millhouse, also known as Jim Mhiyles or Jimmy Two Hats, is seen following his arrest on rape charges, near Bondi Beach on November 5, 2009 in Sydney, Australia. Millhouse has been living in the camp illegally since the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, despite Waverley Council's initial attempts at evicting him. He is charged with luring a girl down to his camp to 'feed the wild birds' before allegedly raping her.

VANCOUVER, CANADA - NOVEMBER 23: Elyse Allan, the president and chief executive of GE Canada, is hugged by Olympic Games mascot Quatchi during the official opening of the GE Ice Plaza in Vancouver, Canada November 23, 2009. The GE Ice Plaza will be the centre of holiday activities in the heart of Vancouver prior to the 2010 Winter Games, and home to performances and events during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games begin on February 12, 2010.

An activist from the animal rights organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) poses with her body painted with the colours of the Canadian flag holding a sign during a demonstration at the Canadian embassy in Bangkok on October 26, 2009. The demonstration was held as part of a PETA campaign to draw attention to and condemn Canada's practices of commercial seal slaughter during the run-up to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.

The image of two children behaving apparently under influence of drugs is reflected on a taxi's wing mirror, near the Macacos shantytown, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil October 28, 2009. Rio de Janeiro must triple its security outlay ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games, especially to crack down on rampant violence spread by drug gangs, Justice Minister Tarso Genro said Tuesday. His assessment, given at a meeting with Rio authorities, came days after bloody clashes between slum gangs and police left 45 people dead and saw a police helicopter shot down.

LONDON - OCTOBER 29: India's 1958 Commonwealth Games 400m gold medal winner Milkha Singh, (L) British double Olympic gold medal winner, Dame Kelly Holmes, (2nd L) Indian Olympic medal winner and World champion weightlifter, Karnam Malleswari, (3rd R) Indian Olympic Games bronze medallist wrestler, Sushil Kumar (2nd R) and Indian hockey player, Dilip Tirkey, (R) attend the launch of the XIX Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay for the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, outside Buckingham Palace October 29, 2009 in London. The Indian President, Prathibha Devi Singh Patil, and her husband, Dr Devisingh Ramsingh Shekhawat, are concluding their three-day state visit to the UK during which they have stayed in Windsor Castle.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Fireworks go off from the BT Tower to mark 1000 days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games on October 31, 2009 in London, England. Chief of the London 2012 bid, Lord Coe has said that the capital's Olympic preparations are ahead of schedule at the 1000 days to go milestone.