OLYMPIC GAMES: Organisers forced to cut budget

ORGANISERS OF next year's Sydney Olympics announced yesterday that they have been forced to carve up to A$100m (pounds 38m) off the 2000 Games budget because of sponsorship problems.

"We're looking at cuts somewhere in the vicinity of A$50m to A$100m," Michael Knight, the Olympics Minister, said. Sandy Hollway, chief executive of SOCOG, said no division of the Games' organising committee would be exempt from budget cuts and he did not rule out the possibility of reductions is staff.

However, the International Olympic Committee said the cuts would not affect the Games, which are only eight months away.

The budget cut follows a bleak period for SOCOG, which has been embroiled in controversy with its sponsors and had been struggling with a A$140m shortfall in funding. The sportswear firm Reebok terminated its A$10m sponsorship last week, saying SOCOG had breached its contract by gaining clothing for Olympics workers from two other garment manufacturers. Reebok has since commenced legal action against SOCOG for damages.