Earl's Court and Olympia enter boxing venue debate

Olympic boxing could be held at Earl's Court or Olympia in 2012 after the sport's governing body objected to the relocation of the event from East London to Wembley Arena.
The idea has been proposed as a solution to the escalating row between the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and the London 2012 organising committee over a cost-saving measure to move boxing out of the ExCeL centre.
The relocation would allow Olympic organisers to scrap a £40million temporary venue next to the O2 Arena, southeast London, which would have staged badminton and rhythmic gymnastics. Those sports would be moved into ExCeL.
The AIBA described the move this week as “unacceptable” because of the journey times from the Athletes' Village in Stratford for nearly 300 boxers.
Officials took up to three hours to reach Wembley on test runs. London organisers hope to convince them that journey times would be cut substantially during the Games by dedicated Olympic lanes and traffic-light phasing.
Boxers, coaches and officials could also use a nearby hotel for overnight their accommodation and weigh-ins before bouts. But the issue has become a sticking point and the AIBA is adamant that London organisers revert to the original venue. It will be discussed by the Olympic board today.
The International Olympic Committee, which is preparing to allow women's boxing to be contested for the first time in 2012, wants a quick resolution.
The Royal Albert Hall, which this year regained its entertainment licence after a ten-year hiatus and has hosted bouts involving Henry Cooper Joe Bugner, Frank Bruno and Lennox Lewis, was briefly considered but ruled out for being too small. It would also be staging the Proms at the same time of year.
There are similar size constraints at Olympia while Earls Court is already hosting volleyball.
Source:The times