Wherever possible, the tickets will match the sport in which the Olympian competed in some 64 years before the Games next year as part of a BOA project that is supported by the London 2012 Organising Committee.

It is part of a wider scheme which will see the BOA provide all former Team GB Olympians from both Summer and Winter Games the opportunity to purchase four tickets each to London 2012 sessions.

"I am delighted that we are able to provide all our distinguished Olympians, and in particular the remarkable group of athletes from 1948, who of course have a very special connection to the Olympic Games in London, with the opportunity to attend when the Games return to London next summer," said BOA chairman Colin Moynihan.

"I am sure the presence of the Olympians in the 2012 venues will have an exciting and inspirational effect on Team GB and the many thousands of British Olympic fans."

Plans are also being developed to host a series of special events for the 1948 Olympians, including a celebratory lunch at the Team GB House, a tour of the Olympic Village and opportunities to participate in the Olympic Torch Relay.

Of the 398 athletes who represented Britain at London in 1948 it is believed that up to 125 are still alive, of which the BOA are in touch with 50 per cent of.

These include Tyler, who will turn 90 next year and now lives in Croydon.

She was one of the stars of the 1948 Games where her peformance made her the only woman to win medals before and after the Second World War, having also claimed silver at Berlin 1936.

"It is fantastic news that the British Olympic Association is giving us free tickets to the London 2012 Olympics," said John Peake, who won a silver medal in 1948 as part of the hockey team.


Peake (pictured above with British teammates from 1948 fourth from left in the back row), who is 86, is looking forward to the opportunity to return to the Olympics.

"Having been a competitor over 60 years ago it will be truly wonderful to attend the Games as a spectator, with my wife, and support Team GB," he said.

"It will also be extremely special to have the opportunity to meet with my fellow 1948 compatriots at the celebratory lunch, some of whom I haven't seen since 1948."

As part of the Ticketshare programme, the BOA will also distribute 700 tickets free of charge for British Olympians to accompany and inspire groups of young people, nominated by the National governing bodies of sport (NGBs), to watch a session of the Olympic Games together.

"We all recognise the special opportunity presented by London 2012 to celebrate and embrace athletes from previous Games," said Andy Hunt, the BOA chief executive and Team GB Chef de Mission at London 2012.

"I would like to thank LOCOG for their support and partnership, which has helped us to put in place an effective plan to distribute tickets to Team GB Olympians.

"These individuals have dedicated their lives to reaching the pinnacle of their sport in order to represent Team GB at the Olympics and it is absolutely right that they should be involved in this once in a generation opportunity to support Team GB on home soil."

Chris Baillieu, chairman of The Olympians, who hae been campaigning for tickets to be distributed to competitors who have represented Britain in previous Games praised the scheme.

"This is fantastic news for Britain's Olympians and I warmly welcome the work done by the British Olympic Association and LOCOG to recognise the contribution made by Olympians," he said.

"This will ensure that those who have achieved the ultimate accolade of representing Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the Olympic Games will now have the opportunity to be in London to cheer on Team GB and inspire the generation by their presence in the Olympic venues."

The London 2012 ticket sales to the general public have been widely criticised, with nearly two thirds of the 1.9 million people who applied for London 2012 Olympics tickets missing out in the first round of sales.

A total of 1.2 million people ended up with nothing, with only 700,000, 36 per cent of applicants, being successful in the controversial random ballot earlier this year, but those who missed out will be given the first opportunity to buy tickets still available when the next sales window opens at 6am on June 24 on a "first-come, first-served basis".

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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