Global General

IOC: No London tickets for Libya at moment

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-06-16 14:00

LAUSANNE, Switzerland - No tickets will be given to Libya's Olympic committee for the 2012 London Games until it is "absolutely certain" they end up in the right hands, the IOC said Wednesday.

Britain's Daily Telegraph reported Wednesday that Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's son, who heads the country's national Olympic committee, had received hundreds of passes to the games from London's organizing committee, or LOCOG.

Related readings:  Libya gets London Olympics tickets

"To be absolutely clear, no tickets have been printed or paid for," the International Olympic Committee said in a statement. "The IOC decided along with LOCOG that no tickets will be handed over to the Libyan National Olympic Committee until the current situation becomes clearer.

"Quite sensibly we will retain this 'wait and see' policy until we can be absolutely certain that the tickets can be used correctly. The IOC will of course continue to insist on the point that the athletes from whatever country are independent of government and should have a right to compete."

LOCOG officials, contacted about the Telegraph report Tuesday night, said hundreds of tickets had been allocated to Libya - not to an "individual" but for distribution to sports organizations and athletes.

Gadhafi and his sons are among 13 people from his regime who are barred from entering Britain, which is taking part in the NATO military action against Libya.

"The fact is that Gadhafi, his family and key members of that regime are subject to a travel ban and won't be allowed to travel here to the Olympics in any event," said Steve Field, spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron.