LONDON (Reuters) – The stingray-shaped roof of the 2012 Olympics aquatics centre was set into place on Wednesday, Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) chairman John Armitt said.

The sweeping 160 metre aquatics centre roof, designed by Iraqi-born architect Zaha Hadid, will form part of the entrance to London’s Olympic Park.

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MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Australia’s Olympic chief has criticised the government for dithering over a review into Games funding and reiterated his demand for bigger budgets to arrest a potential slide down the medal standings.

Australia won 46 medals at last year’s Olympics in Beijing, including 14 golds, to finish fifth on the overall medals table and sixth for golds.

It was the country’s third biggest haul, behind Sydney in 2000 and Athens four years later.

Australia Olympic Committee (AOC) president John Coates protested that a government-commissioned review into Olympic funding, reportedly on the Prime Minister’s desk, had dragged on too long and delayed badly needed funding to athletes.

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The Vancouver Winter Olympics are proving a tough sell to the business world which seems willing to pass on an advertising bonanza that promises to deliver billions of TV viewers worldwide and an avalanche of good will.

Just how tough? The roster of companies that have decided to forego sponsorship deals for the February 2010 games reads like a who’s who of advertising, among them Bank of America Corp, General Motors Co and Home Depot Inc who all dropped out as U.S. team sponsors.

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Ahead of Canada Day 2009 celebrations on July 1, Vancouver 2010 unveiled Monday in Canada’s capital city of Ottawa, the official posters of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Nathalie Lambert, Canada chef de mission for the Vancouver 2010 Games said, “one of Canada’s most cherished symbols is the maple leaf. We put it on our flag, our uniforms and even our backpacks when we travel around the world. It sums up who we are – our shared history, values and goals as a country. That’s why it’s fitting to have the maple leaf on the official posters of Canada’s Games. With this modern, youthful and spirited take on our national symbol, we will welcome the world as hosts of the 2010 Winter Games in just 228 days time”.

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His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has announced the creation of a working group which will look into the feasibility of Dubai bidding for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.

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Bank of America has become the third major sponsor not to renew a sponsorship contract with the US Olympic Committee, a key loss coming just eight months before the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Following the now-bankrupt General Motors and The Home Depot in not renewing deals, Bank of America did not sign on for another four-year cycle after ending a four-year deal worth between 12 and 15 million dollars.

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Colin Montgomerie will lay down his clubs next week to plead golf’s case to become an Olympic sport again in time for the 2016 Games.

Europe’s 2010 Ryder Cup captain will make a presentation to the International Olympic Committee’s executive board in Lausanne on June 15.

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Bank of America Corp will not renew its sponsorship deal with the U.S. Olympic Committee unless it gets more bang for its marketing dollars under a restructured agreement, the company said on Wednesday.

“The bank cannot renew its existing sponsorship as structured,” said Joe Goode, Bank of America’s senior vice president of global media relations.

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Holiday Inn has signed up as the 19th domestic sponsor of the 2012 London Olympics.

The London organizing committee said Monday that Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express will be the official “hotel services provider” for the games.

Holiday Inn will assist in the planning and operation of the Olympic Village and provide accommodation and meeting rooms for the organizing committee and its partners.

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