London 2012 Fans in Drinks Boost –Coca Cola To Back Organizers' Plans

Good news! It’s been decided that spectators attending the 2012 Olympics in London will be allowed to bring their own drinks into venues.

This has also been given the go-ahead by Coca Cola – the longest-serving backer of the Olympics having first sponsored the Games in 1928 – who have said they will not block the plans, despite its own multi-million pound sponsorship of the third Olympic Games to be held in London.

Paul Deighton, the chief executive of London 2012, revealed this week that organizers will not impose a ban on fans bringing in drinks from Coke's rivals, including Pepsi, as long as it is in moderation. "We have no problem with that,” he said.

"A problem might occur if people try to bring huge picnic hampers with them through stadium security but a few drinks will be fine."

Coca-Cola have paid more than $150 million (£100 million) for the exclusive rights to be the official provider of non-alcoholic drinks at the Games but claimed that they do not object to the plans by London 2012 to let spectators bring in the drinks of other manufacturers.

Coca-Cola, who have also signed a deal to be the official sponsor of the Olympic Torch Relay when it travels across Britain in 2012, are keen to avoid the negative publicity that Pepsi have been involved in after they have had organizers at events they are sponsoring prevent spectators from bringing in drinks not made by them.

At the Cricket World Cup in South Africa in 2003, for example, stewards searched fans' cool-boxes for its rival's fizzy drinks and a Johannesburg businessman was evicted from one game for drinking a can of Coca-Cola.

London 2012 will also provide free drinking water during the Olympics and Paralympics, an initiative also backed by Coca-Cola.

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